


Somnia Requiem

by projectseraphim



Category: Dragon Age
Genre: Angst, Dragon Age Kink Meme, F/M, M/M, Multi, Psychic Abilities, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-12-06
Updated: 2012-07-20
Packaged: 2017-10-27 00:44:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 21,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/289694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/projectseraphim/pseuds/projectseraphim
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ongoing kmeme fill.  Arden Hawke possesses the ability to see glimpses of the future, though it does not always aid him.  In fact, most of the time it's plain torture.</p><p>Characters, tags, and pairings will be updated as the story continues. Eventual Hawke/Fenris pairing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“You don’t have to follow me around everywhere, Arden.”

“You are my brother, Carver. I’m going to whether you like it or not. Mother said to keep an eye on you and that is exactly what I’m doing.”

Carver heaved a sigh and raked his fingers through his dark hair, “Whatever. If you are going to follow me, then carry this.” He held out a steel breastplate to his brother, “The lieutenant wanted me to bring it to the quartermaster.”

Arden arched an eyebrow as he took the plate, “He has you running errands?”

“He said that the squires are spread out thin…”

Arden stifled a giggle that threatened to burst forth at the thought of his little brother being treated as a squire at the age of eighteen. Instead, he let Carver lead the way to the quartermaster on the other side of the ruin.

The early morning fog was starting to dissipate, revealing crumbling towers and faded markings on the granite walls. They had been camped in the ruins of Ostagar for a month, fighting back the Darkspawn. Carver reveled in the excitement and danger of battle. However, Arden would rather have been back in Lothering with his mother and sister. He worried about them often, especially Bethany. But neither he nor Carver could ignore King Cailan’s call for soldiers to the south. So now, here they were, running a squire’s errand.

Arden let his eyes flick from person to person as they walked through the camp. Everyone was preparing for the battle that evening. Supposedly, according to the rumors, it would be a shining moment for the King and his Army; that tonight, they would beat back the Darkspawn. Even so, the soldiers looked to be on edge. The Grey Wardens, the storied heroes of legend, said to be fearless in the face of true evil, were restless, pacing around their section of the encampment. He noticed one Warden, leaning back on the remains of an archway; eyes squeezed shut and rubbing his temples. Letting his eyes wander to the rest of the Wardens, several of them had similar looks.

‘Hmm, strange,’ he thought as he continued on next to his brother.

“So how’s everything going to go tonight?”

Arden looked over at his brother, who was staring straight ahead,” What do you mean?”

Carver stopped and crossed his arms in front of him.”You know what I mean.”

Sighing heavily, he shifted the breastplate from one arm to another, “I don’t know. I haven’t…seen…tonight. I never know when I will see anything, anyways. You should know that by now. Remember when I didn’t see you falling out of that tree and breaking your arm?”

Carver made a face and began walking again, “How could I forget? Maybe you only see what you want to see.”

“Now wait just a moment, Carver,” Arden reached out for his brother’s shoulder, stopping him and turning him around, “If I saw anything, you would be the first I would tell. The only one I would tell.” His brother said nothing, just gave a small curt nod. “Oh, just forget it. Come on, the quartermaster isn’t much further.”

When they reached the quartermaster, Arden handed the breastplate over to Carver to make the delivery, “The lieutenant gave you the task, and you should complete it.”

“Oh, how generous of you, Arden,” he sneered as he took the armor and went to speak with the man hunched over an anvil.

“Should I take that quiet glare as a no?”

Arden turned to see a young man grinning at a woman with blonde hair. She didn’t look all that impressed with him, but Arden found him quite handsome. Lithe, with well-toned arms and chestnut hair. The woman stalked off, leaving him grinning and shaking his head.

Arden smirked at the man, “A real lady-killer, you are.”

The man turned to Arden, “No hurt in trying, right? One’s bound to give in.” He chuckled softly and stuck out his hand, “Name’s Daveth. I’m with the Grey Wardens. Well, will be, if the Commander ever shows up.”

Giving Daveth’s hand a firm shake, “Arden. My brother and I are with Captain Varel’s men.”

The other man smiled softly and looked around the encampment, “Big fuss ‘round here.”

“Yeah, they say it’s supposed to be the last big battle to fight off the Darkspawn. The kind of fairytale slop the minstrels will sing about.”

Daveth snorted through his nose, “You sound as convinced as I do.”

Arden rested his hands on top of his head, “Yeah, well, fairytales are nice and all, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. Then again, who knows? Teyrn Loghain is supposed to be the best there is.”

Daveth smiled and shook his head, “I suppose we’ll see. At any rate, good luck out there. Maybe I’ll see you around this fantasy land again.”

He shook Daveth’s hand again, “Luck to you, too.” As the other man began walking to the Grey Warden camp, Arden tried not to look at the sinuous muscles in his legs contract. Just as his eyes began to wander, Arden felt his insides twist sharply. He squeezed his eyes shut and inside his mind he saw Daveth, writhing on a stone floor, dark liquid dripping from his lips. Daveth went still and the pain in Arden’s stomach subsided.

A hand clapped down on his shoulder, Arden opened his eyes to see Carver looking at him inquisitively. Arden’s eyes moved back to Daveth, still alive and stopping to talk to another woman, grinning away. Carver’s eyes followed his brother’s, he glanced between Daveth and Arden for a few moments, “That sod is going to die, isn’t he?”

Arden swallowed hard, “Yes.”


	2. Chapter 2

“Carver, run!” Arden shouted over the roar of Darkspawn and the screams of their fellow soldiers. His brother swung his broadsword at one, separating its head from the rest of its foul body. Arden cut his daggers across the throat of another, spraying its bile all over his oiled leathers.

Carver spun on him, “What in the Maker’s name for? We have to fight!”

“Look around! The signal went up ages ago! No one is coming to help us! We have to run!” Arden shouldered one of his daggers and wrapped his gloved hand around his brother’s gauntlet, pulling him, “Now!”

Carver began to jog beside him, “Let me go, Arden! I can’t use my sword with one hand!”

Arden obliged, pulling his other dagger out from its sheath. Brandishing them in front of him, he ran and planted his boot into the chest of a Hurlock barreling toward them. The Darkspawn stumbled backwards, tripping over the body of a fallen soldier and crashed to the ground. Carver plunged the end of his blade into the creature’s chest, before catching back up with his less encumbered brother.

Cutting their way through, they soon reached the rocks at the edge of the field, “We’ve got to climb.” Arden holstered his weapons and began to feel around for a handhold.

“You have gone completely mad, you know that?” Carver shouldered his sword and followed suit.

“Just climb!” Arden reached the top first and held a hand down to his brother, “Andraste’s tits, you’re heavy!” After a considerable effort on both men, they lay panting on top of the rocky slope. The pained screams of soldiers and Darkspawn alike still echoed below them, drowning out any disgruntled murmurs from Carver. Arden slowly rose to his feet and tried to brush off the mud from his leathers.

“You want to tell me what the hell that was all about?” Carver demanded as he stood. His angry, skeptical cerulean eyes met Arden’s sad and pleading jade ones. “We just ran like cowards!”

Arden pointed at the battlefield below them, “Look, Carver! The battle is lost! Loghain’s men never came!”

Carver looked down at the field; the soldiers left standing were being overrun by the Darkspawn. Ogres trampled their way across the blood and rain soaked ground, knocking poor souls every which way and crushing some others even less fortunate under their monstrous feet, “How could you be certain that they—“

Arden spun his younger brother to face him and shook him, “They abandoned the field! And the King! And us, Carver! You don’t need a second sight to see that! What honor can you hope for dying nameless and forgotten in the filth and mud?”

Carver lowered his eyes to his feet, “What do we do then?”

Arden scrubbed his hand through his raven hair, trying to clear his head, “We should get back to Lothering and see what we can find out there.”

His brother looked up from the ground, “How are we supposed to get there now? It’s dark, raining, and this place is crawling with Darkspawn.” Arden folded his arms in front of him in obvious annoyance. Carver sighed heavily, “Fine. You’re the one with the unnatural sense of direction, lead the way.”

oOo

Two weeks later, Arden squeezed his eyes shut against the morning sunlight streaming through the window. Slowly opening them, he looked around. He was home.

A kind voice spoke to him, “You’re awake. Thank the Maker.”

Arden turned his head, and looked into a pair of soft chocolate eyes, “Bethany,” his voice was cracked from thirst and he tried to sit up, “Where’s Carver?”

Bethany handed him a cup of water, which he drank as though his throat was on fire, “He’s in the next room, still asleep. The both of you collapsed at the gate two days ago. Mother had to get Barlin’s boys to carry you inside.”

He rubbed his forehead, “How’s Mother? Have you two been alright without us?”

“We’ve been doing fine. Lloyd has been doing a good job of protecting us,” she bent to rub the head of the umber-furred mabari at the foot of the bed, “haven’t you boy?” Lloyd gave a low bark in agreement. “He’s hardly left your side since you’ve been back.”

Arden reached a hand out, the hound gave it a careful nudge and a lick, “I missed you, too.”

Bethany sat down next to him, “Mother has been beside herself. There have been awful stories about Ostagar. Some of Teyrn Loghain’s men were staying at the tavern, telling everyone that the Grey Warden’s betrayed the King and that the army had been wiped out by the Darkspawn. Until they found you, Mother was sure that you were dead. She’s calling it a miracle.”

“We ran. Loghain’s men never came to support the rest of us. We just…ran.”

Another voice came from the doorway, “And thank the Maker you did!” His mother quickly crossed the room and threw her arms around her son, squeezing the air out of him. “I don’t know what I would have done if I lost you both!” She pulled back slightly, allowing him to breathe once again, and kissed his forehead, searching his face with her steel grey eyes, “Is it true what they are saying? That they Grey Wardens betrayed the king?”

“They didn’t betray anyone. I watched them die alongside the rest of the army, Mother.”

“Watched? You mean you didn’t know that the battle would go badly?”

Arden gave an exasperated sigh, “No, I didn’t. I don’t see everything before it happens, you know.”

His mother pushed the dark hair that fell into his eyes away, “I know. It’s just that it was so dangerous out there, I was sure you would be able to see…something.”

He swung his legs over the side of the bed and shakily rose to his feet, “All I know is that we had to get out. I knew we would have died if we stayed.”

An audible groan came from the next room, sending his mother to her feet, “Carver!”

Leaving him and Bethany alone, his sister gently hugged him, “I’m just happy the two of you are alright. And don’t worry about Mother. She doesn’t understand the things that you and I can do. Not like Father did, anyways.”

Arden stretched his arms and rested his hands on the top of his head, “I am just cranky when I wake up, that’s all. It’s good to be home though.”

Walking over to the bureau, he pulled a lightweight shirt from a drawer to wear. He caught himself in the looking glass out of the corner of his eye, “Maker’s breath! I’m starting to look like Lloyd with all this hair on my face.” Bethany giggled and Lloyd nudged Arden’s leg with his nose, softly whining.

“I’ll get you a straight razor.”

“Thank you, Beth.”

oOo

Four days passed by. The whole village was on edge with the Bann and his men gone. Only the Templars remained to guard the town, which grated on Bethany’s nerves. But the Hawke family kept quiet, as they had always done. Not that it mattered, everyone was wrapped up in worry over the Darkspawn to the south to really care that there might have been an apostate among them.

Arden leaned back in his chair while Carver ate his stew. His brother spoke quietly, “People are talking about making for Redcliffe.”

“Might not be a bad plan. It’s certainly out of the way of the Darkspawn. At least for now. I think Mother is reluctant to leave Lothering, though.”

“Then we’ll just have to convince her to, Arden. I st—still can’t get that battlefield out of my head.”

“Me neither. All right, we’ll begin packing. I’ll have Beth talk t—“ Arden fell backwards into the stone floor. His body twisted in pain as he pressed his palms into his tightly shut eyes.

Fire. Screaming. Gnarled, yellow teeth. Lothering was burning. He could see his mother, face twisted in terror, staring up at an ogre. Its fists raised in the air. The ground shook beneath him as it pounded into the earth. A sharp stabbing sensation wracked through his insides and his mouth filled with blood. The ogre was crushing her!

“Arden! Arden!” Carver was shaking him. “Arden, what is it?!”

He was breathing heavily when he opened his eyes, pain slowly dulling to numbness in his bones. As he moved to his hands and knees, his mouth still tasted as though it was filled with blood. Arden spat on the floor, trying to clear it out. But it was saliva, not blood, that puddled there.

“I’m…I’m alright,” he managed to push out while Carver helped him to his feet.

“What is it? What did you see?”

Arden flicked his eyes down to his brother’s questioning stare, “We are leaving Lothering. Now.”

oOo

Arden pulled on his fur-trimmed leather armor and bent down to secure the buckles on his leg guards. Lloyd padded into the room and looked up at him expectantly, dropping Arden’s dagger belt at his front paws. He rubbed the mabari’s head, “Thank you boy.”

Carver leaned against the doorframe, “You aren’t going to tell me what you saw, are you?”

“Does it matter?”

“Well, you are the one saying we have to leave right this instant. As if Mother wasn’t already pulling her hair out with worry…”

“She’ll be fine. But we need to get out of here. We are too close to Ostagar,” he picked up his dagger belt and buckled it in place before walking toward the door, “I need to check and make sure that Mother isn’t trying to pack the whole kitchen.” Carver put his arm up, palm pressed against the other side of the frame, blocking Arden’s exit. He flicked his eyes down to his brother, who stood a few inches shorter than him, “Move, please.”

“No. Not until you tell me what you saw.”

Arden’s jade eyes burned with annoyance and he wrapped his hand around Carver’s wrist, “You’re too old for games, Carver. Now get out of my way.”

Carver didn’t move an inch, “Arden, you saw something. You were on the damn floor, shaking. Now what the hell did you see?” He grabbed the hand that Arden had wrapped around him and pulled it off angrily. “You don’t trust me, and I’m sick of it!”

Arden’s face flamed with anger and unchecked aggression. He grabbed Carver’s collar, yanking him away from the doorway and slamming him into the wall next to it, “Now, listen to me, you bloody twit! I know you think all the mages and freaks in your life are conspiring against you, but we’re not! I have my burdens, and sometimes, I would like to keep them to myself!”

Carver’s face twisted into a snarl and he pushed his brother away, “Oh, here we go! Arden and his ‘burdens’! You walk around for six extra years on Thedas and think you own it. I get it, you’re ‘special’. But I know you, Arden. You were scared. I’ve rarely seen you that scared. Now, Andraste’s ass, tell me what you saw!”

“Lothering is going to burn, Carver!” he rubbed his face with his palm and took a deep breath as Carver’s cerulean eyes widened in shock, “It burns…happy now?”

“Arden…I…are you sure?”

He folded his arms in front of him and stared down at his boots. Lloyd pressed his snout to his leathers and whined, looking up at him with sad amber eyes. He rubbed the mabari’s soft fur before looking back up at his younger brother and chuckled, “After all that, you ask me if I’m sure? You really are a twit.” Arden rested his hand on top of his head and closed his eyes, “Yes, it burns. Darkspawn overrun it and destroy it. That’s why we have to get Beth and Mother out of here.”

Carver raked his fingers through his dark hair and took a shuddering breath, “Is that all? That’s what scared you so badly?”

“Wouldn’t it scare you?” Arden sighed heavily and sank into a chair, “There was one other thing. There was this… Oh, what did Lieutenant Llewellyn call them? Large, beastly Darkspawn…ogres! Anyways, I saw an ogre standing over Mother. And…”

“You don’t need to tell me the rest, I get it,” Carver held a hand out for his brother; “We’re not going to let anything happen to her.”

“Exactly,” he let Carver help him to his feet, “now let’s get the hell out of here.”


	3. Chapter 3

“You have got to be kidding me!” Arden crouched and pulled Carver down behind a crest of boulders. “Mother! Beth! Get down!”

The women ducked down and looked at Arden with wide, scared eyes. Arden arched up to look over the top of the rocks; the road below the rocky hill was littered with broken crates. And bodies.

And Darkspawn.

Arden sighed and sank back down, “Looks as if a band of those bastards attacked a caravan bound for Lake Calenhad.”

“Isn’t that the direction we’re going?” Carver asked in a hushed tone.

He rubbed his eye with the heel of his hand, “Not anymore. “

Carver furrowed his brow, “Well, what are we supposed to do now? You told us to get out of Lothering, where we barely escaped the Darkspawn, and now you've walked us into more.”

Arden scowled at his younger brother, before looking at his sister and mother huddled together close by. He took a deep breath and mussed his raven hair before speaking, “If we go back east for a bit, we may be able to get further north. At least that way, we can avoid this part of the horde.”

“You want us to go back towards Lothering?” Bethany looked up with worried eyes.

Arden smiled softly at his sister, “We’re just doubling back a little, and I don’t want to get the attention of those…things down there.”

Bethany nodded her head in understanding and took their mother’s hand, “Come on, quietly.”

Carver slowly rose, “I hope this works.”

“Me, too,” Arden sighed as he rose and drew his daggers, taking point while Carver fell in behind them.

oOo

They hadn’t gotten far when they heard screams, and other worldly shrieks that seemed to come in from all sides.

“Run!”

Arden led them through a cluster of rocky slopes. As they ran, Bethany pulled her staff from its resting place on her back and turned around sharply, setting the path behind them ablaze with her magic. The Darkspawn on the other side snarled and screeched at them while they tried to catch their breaths.

“What do we do now,” Carver panted, “We can’t go back towards Lothering.”

Arden opened his mouth to answer, but in the corner of his eye, he saw shadows move. Two Genlocks jumped down from a low slope. He spun out of the way of one as they swung a crude club at his chest. Kicking out with his boot, he connected with the creature chin, sending it staggering backwards. Bethany swung her staff into the Genlock and loosed another fire spell. It fell into a charred heap on the dirt. Carver and Lloyd made short work of the other, Darkspawn blood clung to the mabari’s fur.

Arden squeezed the grips of his daggers, “We need to move before more find a way around that fire.”

Bethany bent to wipe the blood away from Lloyd’s jowls, “Where are we going to go? West is no good, and we can’t go back home. We barely made it out of Lothering as it is, we can’t just wander.”

He tried to smile at his sister, “Why not? As long as we wander away from the Darkspawn.”

“Kirkwall.”

“What?” Bethany turned to their mother, “You want to go to Kirkwall? There’s a lot of Templars in Kirkwall, Mother.”

Their mother’s steel grey eyes were shining with held back fear and tears, “We still have family there. And an estate.”

Arden pinched the bridge of his nose, “Well, at least it’s a plan.”

Bethany nodded, “We’ll need to get to Gwaren and take a ship.”

Carver simply nodded and then leaned in closer to his brother and whispered, “How are we going to get there?”

“North to get around Lothering and then cut east, I suppose. Best way I can think of.”

oOo

“You will not have him!”

Arden rounded the edge of the rocks to find a small band of Darkspawn attacking a woman with bright ginger hair.

The woman slammed her shield into a Hurlock and he could almost feel the reverberation of the metal from where he stood. He pulled his daggers back out of his sheathes and circled around to attack another Hurlock that was closing in on her.

Carver and Bethany joined in as Lloyd stayed back to protect their mother. Between the four of them, the Darkspawn soon lay in charred, bleeding masses in the dirt.

The ginger woman crouched down beside a man in armor, “Wesley? Come on Wesley, don’t do that, you’ll only make it worse.”

Bethany bent down next to the man and held out her hand over him, letting a healing energy sink into him. Arden felt his face flame, “Bethany!”

She came back on her feet, chocolate eyes filled with sadness, “He’s hurt. I can’t just leave—“

Bethany was interrupted by a clank of metal plate as the man slowly rose to his feet. Arden’s eyes widened as he saw the Sword of Mercy emblazoned on his chest. The man’s voice cracked as he spoke, “Apostate…”

Bethany covered her face with her hand, “The Maker has a sense of humor.”

The ginger woman pulled on the man’s gauntlet, “Wesley…”

Wesley took a step towards Bethany and Arden, “The Order dictates.” Arden stepped in front of Bethany and stared him down in warning.

“Wesley, they saved us. The Maker understands.” The Templar took a step back and Arden relaxed his demeanor. “You have my thanks. I am Aveline Valen, and this is my husband, Ser Wesley.”

Arden slightly nodded his head in greeting, “I am Arden. Which direction did you come from, Aveline?”

Aveline shifted her shield on her arm, “We came from the north.” Arden took a heavy sigh as she continued, “It’s cut off. We were trying to make east. “

Carver spoke up, “East is Lothering. And that won’t be any good. It has to be crawling with Darkspawn by now. Like Ostagar.”

Aveline pushed a stray hair away from her face, “You were at Ostagar?”

Arden nodded, “Yes, we both were. The Darkspawn overran the field and we barely made it out.”

She nodded her head solemnly, “We all were victims of betrayal,” she drew in a deep breath, “as I said, north is cut off, and east is no good.”

“Neither is west,” Arden kicked his toe into dirt trying to think, “that means south is the only way left.”

Disbelief washed over Carver’s face, “The south is the Wilds! That’s not any safer.”

He turned to his brother, “It’s south or dying. I choose south, now come on.”


	4. Chapter 4

“That Templar isn’t looking so good is he?” Carver leaned in to whisper to his brother.

Arden glanced behind him to Aveline and Wesley. Wesley was pale and shaking, as if he were trying to sweat out a fever. Aveline kept looking at him nervously and whispering to him, but he made no moves to respond to her.

Eyes front once more, “No, he’s not. But we’ll just have to worry about it when we reach a spot to camp.”

The air around them was choked with smoke and stench. It burned to breathe, but they had to press on and continue to the Wilds if they wanted to make it to Gwaren. All of them walked in tense silence for a few long moments before Carver whispered to Arden again, “Have you seen anything new?”

“No, just Lothering burning and the Ogre. But now we’re far from Lothering, so hopefully that wi—Lloyd? What is it boy?”

Lloyd stopped in front of Arden and growled, hackles raised. From behind him, he heard Wesley choke out, “There’s magic here.”

Aveline hefted her shield, trying to ready herself, “Are you sure, Wesley?”

“Yes, love. I’ll see if I can gather enough focus to cleanse the area,” the Templar limped up to where Arden was standing with his daggers ready.

Arden looked down to his mabari, “Guard Mother and Wesley. Carver, come on, let’s scout up ahead.”

The two men only took ten paces before a blast of energy blew them off their feet. Arden was back on his first, shaking the shock away from his head and managed to roll out of the way before the next blast came. A tall, thin Darkspawn descended down from the rocks ahead and seemed to float across the ground. It was flanked by four Hurlocks, each with glistening teeth that were a sickening yellow.

Carver, on his feet once more, ran at one of the Hurlocks and swung his blade. Arden didn’t know exactly when Bethany appeared at his side, but she was gathering energy for a spell. He felt a surge of heat as she loosed flames at two other Darkspawn. Aveline hit her shield with the flat of her blade and shouted, “Over here, you ugly bastard!” and joined the fight with Carver.

Arden went after the magic-wielding creature, kicking it hard in stomach. A burst of energy hit him in the chest, and he staggered back for a moment. Arden could hear the blood pumping in his ears as he moved forward again towards the Darkspawn. It raised its staff, but instead of casting a spell, it swung.

The world spun for Arden as the staff connected against the side of his head. He fell hard into the rocky soil and looked up with glazed eyes. The Darkspawn raised its staff once more, ready to bring it down on his head, but a blast of white fire slammed into it with a great roar. All of the air seemed to have been sucked away as the Darkspawn lolled its head to the side. Despite the screaming pain in Arden’s head, he clutched his two daggers and thrust them upwards into its chest. The creature gave a small, pathetic whimper of pain as it slid from the blades and into the ground. He turned his head in the direction that the blast came from.

Wesley shook and dropped to his knees in exhaustion, “Is it dead?”

Arden nodded slowly, nudging the Darkspawn with his boot, “Thank you, Wesley.”

“Just don’t ask me to do it again.”

Suddenly, Arden felt very warm as his sister touched his head, “You are bleeding.”

He looked down at Bethany, who was still trying to heal him, “You are going to wear yourself out from all of this casting, Beth.”

“You are hurt, Arden. I’m not going to leave you that way.”

Carver and Aveline joined them, covered in Darkspawn gore. Aveline helped Wesley back to his feet, “Are you alright? You shouldn’t push yourself so hard.” The Templar said nothing, just nodded his head.

Arden turned to his mother and Lloyd, making sure they were alright. Mother was shaking with fright, but she seemed to be holding up, while the mabari just cocked his head and panted, letting his tongue hang lazily from his mouth. “Alright, let’s keep mov—“

The ground quaked below their feet. A great horned creature stomped up the hill towards them. A wave of nausea crashed over Arden as Aveline shouted, “Ogre!”

Before Arden could react, Carver rushed forward, “You soulless bastard!” His brother swung his sword in one strong motion, but the hulking creature wrapped its hand around Carver’s body and hauled him upwards before slamming him back into the rocks. And then again, and again, finally casting his limp body to the side like a doll.

Arden heard his mother scream and shriek from behind him, “Carver! No!”

Without hesitating as he did, Aveline slammed the flat of her blade into her shield once more, trying to turn the Ogre’s attention, “Come on, you sonofabitch! I stand for all of us!” The Darkspawn opened its maw and roared loudly at her as she braced her shield over her shoulder, waiting for an impact.

Arden shook himself out of his stupor. He knew he had to fight, or he would die here. Looking around, he searched for anything that might help at all. Shouting at his sister, “Beth! You and Aveline try to back it into those rocks!” He removed a poison flask from his belt and hurled it as hard as he could at the Ogre’s face. It bellowed in pain and clawed at its face. Aveline took the opportunity to slam the full force of her body into it, causing it to stagger back. Bethany slung her magic, setting it ablaze.

All the while, Arden was frantically climbing up the cluster of boulders. His mind was screaming, ‘What am I doing? For Andraste’s sake this is insane. It’s an Ogre!’ He did his best to ignore it and fumbled up to the crest. Bethany managed to push it back with walls of flames as Aveline slammed into it a final time, knocking the stunned monster back far enough for him to take a leap of faith.

Arden jumped and landed roughly on the Ogre’s shoulder. It roared in anger and reached up to grab him. He forcefully drove his blades into either side of the monster’s neck. The noise was deafening as the Ogre frantically tried to pull him away. Arden pulled one of the daggers out, using the other to hang on and stabbed again. And again. Dark, foul smelling blood poured over his hands as the Darkspawn began to buckle and fell onto the ground in a great heap. He pulled his blades out and rolled off, landing in the dirt, exhausted and panting. The sounds of the world were drowned out by the pounding and buzzing in his head from his jarred senses.

Until he heard screaming.

He sat up slowly and saw his mother shrieking over Carver’s broken body. Rising to his feet, he felt his heart drop. He already knew without having to check, his brother was gone. Arden placed a hand on his mother’s shaking shoulder, “Mother…”

She threw his hand off, “How could you let him run in like that?! You were supposed to protect him!”

He took a step back as Bethany tried to comfort their distraught mother, “He died protecting us.”

“Yes,” Wesley stepped forward, “he fought bravely, Mistress. Allow me to commend his soul to The Maker…”

Arden could not hear the Templar’s prayers, or Bethany’s soft cries, or even his mother’s pained wails. His head ached with his thoughts, ‘How could this happen? I got us out of Lothering. If I hadn’t told Carver about the Ogre, maybe he’d…or would it matter? Were we doomed from the start?’

A hand clapped down on his shoulder and shook him, he looked up into Aveline’s worried eyes, “I know this is hard, but we have to keep moving…” The shrieks of Darkspawn rang out from behind them. Aveline drew her blade once more, “Flames! We are too late!”

Bethany shakily rose to her feet, “More? Arden, I don’t know if I can take anymore of this.”

Defeat written across his face, Arden gripped his daggers, “I know, Beth. But what choice do we have?”

The sky darkened above them suddenly. Arden looked up the nearby cliff to see a great winged creature perched atop the summit. It screeched loudly as it took flight. Confusion plagued him for a brief moment, ‘A dragon? Can’t be…can it?’

His answer came as a great stream of fire erupted from the creature’s mouth, raining down on the approaching Darkspawn. Everyone just stared in awe as it circled around and descended towards them. Its powerful talons sunk into the charred soil as it landed. The dragon stared at Arden and the rest of them for a long moment before the air around it seemed to brighten and melt around its form. Arden shielded his eyes from the light. It faded slowly, and the dragon was gone. In its stead was a woman.

A strange looking woman. Her wild white hair seemed to defy nature as it blew behind her; and she was clad in odd-looking robes, but wore armored gauntlets, likening her hands to the talons of the dragon that was before them just moments earlier. Arden’s mouth went dry as she lazily sauntered towards him, appraising him with her yellow, avian eyes. She stopped and a smirk spread across her aged face.

“Well, well, what do we have here?”


	5. Chapter 5

Arden squeezed his fists down at his sides, but put on a smile, “Nice trick. Must be helpful to turn into a dragon.”

The woman eyed him with a smirk, “Perhaps, I am a dragon.”

“Thank you for your intervention. We appreciate the help.”

“My intention wasn’t to help. I saw something curious, an Ogre vanquished, and I wondered just who could perform such a feat…” Her yellow eyes flicked around him to the others, “We don’t get many visitors this close to the Wilds, what brings you out this way?”

Her eyes made Arden’s blood turn to ice, but he kept himself calm, “We are trying to escape the Darkspawn.”

The strange woman chuckled, “Oh? Is that all? I hope you realize that you are going the wrong way, child.”

Bethany stepped forward and stood close to Arden, “We are going to go to Gwaren and take ship to Kirkwall.”

“Kirkwall?” she inspected the fingers of her gauntlet, “That is quite a voyage. And I see that you have already run into some hardship.”

Arden watched the woman as she turned her gaze to his mother. He could hear her softly crying behind him, but didn’t have the heart to turn around and look, “Yes. All the more reason that we need to get out of the Blight’s path. Would you happen to know a quick path through the Wilds?”

Aveline spoke up, “She should. You are a Witch of the Wilds, aren’t you?”

The woman chuckled, “Some people call me that. I am also Flemeth, an old hag who talks too much.”

Bethany’s eyes widened, “Witch? Then that means you’re—“

“An apostate? Yes. Just like you, child.”

Arden smiled charmingly, “Then perhaps you can teach her that dragon trick of yours, that would be most helpful.”

Flemeth’s head fell back with laughter, “I like you. But I’m afraid I don’t have that kind of charity in my heart. But,” she slid her fingers across her chin, pondering, “perhaps we can help each other. You need a way through the Wilds, and I need something delivered. And since you are going to Kirkwall anyway…”

Confusion washed over Arden’s face, “Delivered? What are we to deliver?”

“Oh, just a small trinket. It needs to go to the Dalish Keeper on Sundermount. It’s not too far out of your way.”

Arden didn’t quite trust the strange woman, but knew he didn’t have a choice, “I suppose that we will accept.”

Flemeth smirked, “Smart lad.” A clamor of metal against rock rang out. Arden turned to see Wesley crumpling to a heap on the ground with Aveline kneeling over him, trying to sit him back up. The witch sighed and smoothed an eyebrow, “But first, we need to take care of something.” She began to walk towards the Templar.

Aveline turned towards the witch and held her hand up, “No! You leave him alone!”

Flemeth shook her head solemnly, “What has been done to your man is in his blood already.”

Wesley coughed and spat a thick, black liquid into the dirt. His voice cracked as he spoke, “She’s right. The blood, I knew when it happened…”

Arden took a deep breath, “Is there anything we can do?”

The witch shook her head, “For Darkspawn taint? The only cure I know isn’t much of a cure and that’s to become a Grey Warden.”

He sighed heavily, “And they all died at Ostagar.”

“Oh, not all of them, but the last of them are beyond reach. It would be best to just show mercy and end it.”

Arden knelt on the other side of Wesley and looked at Aveline, “Aveline…”

The ginger haired woman turned away and looked down at her husband, “No, you can’t ask me to do that.”

The Templar touched his wife’s face, “It’s alright, love. I am just going to slow you down and you would end up dead alongside me. “ Wesley’s eyes slumped lazily to look at Arden, “Help me get my chest plate off, please.”

Arden cut the leather straps and set the metal plate next to him. His jade eyes were filled with sympathy as he looked back up at Aveline, “Do you want me to…” He couldn’t even finish the question when he saw the sadness on her face, “I’m so sorry, Aveline.”

Aveline balled up her fist and pressed it against her lips as she squeezed her eyes shut. After a long moment, she looked at Arden, “Give me your dagger.”

“Aveline, are you—“

“Give me your dagger.”

Slowly, he unsheathed his blade and handed it over to her. He looked down at Wesley, “I’m so sorry.” He stood up and turned away, not willing to bear witness for what was to happen. Arden heard the quiet whispers between them and then screwed his eyes shut as the sound of the dagger sliding into flesh reached his ears.

Aveline let out a low, ragged breath and stood up silently, handing Arden back his blade. Flemeth stood emotionless as she watched Aveline walk past her and over to Bethany. The ginger haired soldier stood stoic, not looking at anyone. The witch turned her eyes back to Arden and then to his mother, who was still clinging to Carver’s broken body, oblivious to everything that was happening. She sighed, “Without an end, there can be no peace. And it will get no easier, child, your troubles are only just beginning.”

Arden scrubbed his hand through his dark hair, “Oh, believe me, I know.” He turned and knelt down, trying to pull his mother to her feet, “We have to go.” The Hawke matron looked up at her son, tears still falling from her steel grey eyes.

Flemeth murmured something in a strange tongue, and the ground beneath their feet began to shift. Arden and his mother stumbled backwards as Carver slowly began to sink into the earth. Wesley’s body was also sinking, and soon they were both gone with no evidence that they were ever there to begin with.

Bethany reached out as a new wave of sobs wracked through their mother’s body, trying to give her some comfort. Arden faced Flemeth, “Thank you.”

Flemeth smirked and arched a brow, “You do not need to thank me. It was either that, or I would have to force you to leave your mother behind. Now come, the path we need to take is this way.”

oOo

The trees seemed to form a clear way through for them as they trekked through the Wilds. Arden walked alongside Flemeth, not saying anything and listened to the wind as it blew through the treetops.

Finally, the witch spoke, “What is your name, child?”

“Arden Hawke.”

“Ah, I see. You are quite strange, Arden Hawke. And that is saying something, coming from me,” she laughed.

He chuckled along with her, “I cannot deny that I am strange, that is for certain.”

She continued to walk, looking straight ahead, “Not only are you a slayer of Darkspawn, but a Seer as well. Yes, very strange.”

Arden froze in his tracks, “Seer?”

The witch turned to face him, “Yes. I can feel the Fade flow through you, yet you do not seem to have any magical ability, so you are no mage. Seers have a unique…feel…to them. And that’s what I feel when I look at you.”

“Then you have met these ‘Seers’ before.”

Flemeth began walking again, Arden following along, “A few here and there. Some amongst the Chasind. Others elsewhere. They are rare and I do not know much about them, but they tend to be, well, tragic.”

“Tragic?” Arden could feel his heart drop in his chest, “Tragic how?”

“All the ones I have ever met went mad and died very young. Seeing glimpses of the future can have a devastating effect on a weak soul.” She pushed aside a low-hanging branch in front of her face, “If it is of any consolation, you seem to have a much stronger soul.”

Arden didn’t feel very consoled, “So, I suppose that means I will keep having these visions, or whatever they are, for the rest of my life then?”

She nodded, “And all of the pain that comes with them. Until you are ready to throw yourself off a cliff.”

“You sure know how to comfort a man.”

Flemeth laughed loudly, “I do actually, but something tells me that you aren’t interested in a woman’s comforts, Arden.” He could feel his face get hot with embarrassment, but did not say anything. They continued to walk in silence for a long time until Flemeth stopped abruptly, “I will take my leave of you here. Continue east and you will reach Gwaren in two days time.”

The witch held out a silver chain with a pendant made of a dark red stone and dropped it into Arden’s outstretch hand. It felt like ice against his skin. He looked down at the strange stone, running a careful finger over the surface. He opened his mouth to thank Flemeth for all of her help, but he when looked back up, she was already gone.

Arden shook the bewilderment from his head and faced Aveline, his mother, and Bethany, “Well, I guess we are on our own from here. Let’s go.”

oOo

The witch was good on her word; they made it through the Wilds with little trouble at all and into Gwaren. They joined a sea of refugees waiting for the next ship to arrive to carry them away from their Blighted homeland.

Bethany leaned into her brother, “I will be so happy once we are finally out of here.”

Arden wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her forehead, “I know, Beth. Me too.”


	6. Chapter 6

Storms tossed the ship about on the Waking Sea, making it hard for Arden to keep down the little bit of food he managed to scrounge up for everyone. His mother and Aveline lay sleeping by his feet as he shifted with his back against the support beam, trying to relax. Bethany was curled into his side and just as he closed his eyes, he could feel her shake.

He turned to his sister and whispered, “Beth? Are you okay?”

Her voice cracked when she answered, “Yes. Go to sleep.”

Arden could tell that she had been crying and wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his lap and held her against his chest, “It’s going to be okay, Beth. Please don’t cry.” He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head, much like he did when they were younger when she had a nightmare.

“What’s going to happen to us?”

Her question punched him hard in the stomach. Bethany was always the most understanding about Arden and what he was capable of, she never pressured him to reveal the things he saw like Carver and their mother did. So, even though he knew she wasn’t asking him about _that_ , he still felt guilty, “I don’t know…”

They were both silent for a long moment. Then Bethany spoke again, “I miss Carver.”

He rocked her slowly and closed his eyes again, “So do I, Beth.”

oOo

Finally, the ship pulled into port and Arden could not wait to get off of the Maker-forsaken thing and back onto dry land. Stepping off the ship, he immediately walked into the shadow of a large gate and an even larger structure behind it.

Bethany looked up at it, just as stunned, “Maker’s breath, what is that?”

Their mother walked up behind them, Aveline not too far behind, “This is the Gallows. It’s where they keep the Circle of Magi.”

Arden’s hand found Bethany’s and gave it a reassuring squeeze, “Then let’s try not to linger here too long. Come on.”

They pushed their way to the front of the crowd and were halted by a guard, “Back up, Fereldan! You aren’t getting in!”

Aveline stepped forward, “And why not?”

The guard sneered at her, “Knight-Commander’s orders. Now, back up!”

Arden whispered to Aveline, “Knight-Commander? Isn’t that a Templar title?” The soldier nodded and balled up her fists. He turned back to the guard and flashed a charming smile, “Is there a captain or someone that we can speak with?”

The guard rolled his eyes, “Why don’t you just wait for the next ship like a good little dog?”

Arden could feel the heat rise in his blood, but kept his smile, “Well, surely you’d like to get a few dogs out of your hair wouldn’t you?”

The other man crossed his arms, “Whatever. Go talk to Captain Ewald,” he motioned with a turn of his head behind him, “But it won’t do you any good, he’ll just send you away and you’ll have to go begging for your scraps at another table.”

Arden bowed his head slightly, “Thank you, ser. Come on, everyone.” Arden led them through a small archway into a courtyard. Standing in the middle was a group of men clad in mixed assortment of armor having a heated argument with a man dressed similarly to the guard at the gate. Sighing, “Seems like we aren’t the only ones trying to talk our way in.”

Aveline walked next to him, “Looks like that’s our man though, he’s dressed like a higher ranked guard. “

“Well, let’s hope we have more luck than those mercenaries.”

The man in the guard uniform was indeed Captain Ewald and as soon as Arden joined into the conversation, the mercenaries became agitated. Arden tried to explain that he had family in the city, an uncle named Gamlen. The captain arched an eyebrow, “Gamlen? I know a Gamlen, but he’s a weasel that couldn’t rub two coppers together.”

Arden shrugged. “That may be him. At any rate, he is our family here in the city and if we could just speak with him, we could get out of your way.”

“If I see him then I wi—“

The leader of the mercenaries jumped in front of Ewald and stood toe to toe with him, “We’ve been here for days! You’re just goin’ to let them in?!” The man spun to face Arden and drew his weapon, “And what makes you so bleedin’ special?”

The remaining mercenaries followed suit and attacked the guards, Arden, and the others. But the mercenaries were slow and sloppy and easily dispatched. Once the dust had settled and the surviving offenders taken away, Captain Ewald held his hand out to Arden, “Thanks for the help. I don’t know what good it’ll do, but I’ll see if I can find Gamlen for you.”

oOo

Aveline paced around as Arden lay back on the cold stone, “It’s been four days.”

He looked up at her, “It’s either wait for my uncle, or wait for a ship. Either way, we’ve just got to hurry up and wait…”

His mother wrung her hands together, “He’ll be here soon, I know it. Then we can go to the estate and—“

“Leandra!”

Arden sat up and watched his mother run into the arms of a thin, graying man, “Gamlen!”

The man embraced her briefly and looked her over, chuckling, “Damn girl, the years have not been kind to you!” Gamlen looked behind her to Bethany, Arden, and Aveline, “I see you brought the family with you.”

Leandra nodded and turned to face everyone, “Yes, my Arden and Bethany made it. Carver didn’t,“ her voice cracked slightly as she choked back tears, “and this is Aveline.”

Aveline nodded her head, “Aveline Valen, serah.”

Gamlen rubbed the back of his neck and looked at Leandra, “Look, Leandra, they aren’t letting anyone in unless they’ve got a good bit of coin.”

Leandra furrowed her brow, “But what about the estate? Surely, there is something left from when Father died.”

Gamlen looked up at the clouds gathering overhead, “I, uh, meant to write you. The estate, oh how do I say this?” He looked back down at his sister, “The estate is gone.”

His mother’s face twisted in surprise, “Gone?”

Bethany stood next to her, “Does that mean we can’t get into the city?”

Arden rubbed his forehead wearily, “So what do we do now?”

Gamlen crossed his arms in front of him, “We can still you get you all into the city if we grease a few palms. But it’s going to take a lot of grease.”

Arden squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed his temples, “Okay. So what do we need to do?”

“Well, I have a couple of people that can help us with the bribes. But…”  
Leandra eyed him curiously, “But, what?”

“They’d have to work off the debt. For a year.”

A look of defeat washed over her face, “A year? Gamlen!”

Arden stepped in between them, “Look, I want to get us into the city. Just tell me what we have to do.”

Gamlen explained their options. On one hand, they could would for the Red Iron mercenary band, or on the other, work with a group of smugglers. The smuggler idea made Arden nervous, but he and Bethany had become accustomed to skirting the law.

But he still wanted to speak with the mercenaries, “Come on, Bethany. Let’s not break the law if we don't have to.”

They set off towards the man that Gamlen directed him to, a harsh looking man named Meeran. Arden stepped in between the carved stone columns and fell to his knees in pain. All the air left his lungs in a rush as he crumpled into a ball. He felt a stabbing pain through his belly as his insides twisted and his eyes screwed shut.

He saw Bethany’s hands covered in blood and tears pouring down her face. Looking down, there was a longsword sticking out from his middle. A harsh looking man sneered down at him and yanked the sword out and a new shock of pain rippled through him.

“Arden!” Bethany shook him. He slowly opened his eyes and looked into her soft brown ones as she helped him sit up. She searched his face, “What is it? What happened?”

He shook his head and shakily rose to his feet, “I think we should talk to the smuggler instead.”

Aveline looked at them both in confusion, “What made you change your mind? What just happened to you?”

He looked at her sadly, “it’s a…long story. I’ll tell it to you…” He squared his shoulders and began walking to elf standing in the shadows, “After we talk to Athenril.”


	7. Chapter 7

Bethany slipped into the darkened alley next to one of the warehouses by the docks, waiting for the shipment of rum and whiskey to be unloaded from the ship. Athenril had tasked her to sneak around back and let the rest of the crew inside and it made her nervous. Carefully, she crept through the shadows, trying not to make a single noise. The wind’s direction changed and blew the hems of her skirts around her legs, forcing her to push them back down as she walked. Suddenly, she heard footsteps fall behind her and spun on her heel, putting her face to face with a guard.

“What are you doing?”

Bethany began to shake slightly, “I—I was just—“

The guard eyed her suspiciously, “You were just what?”

“I got lost, serah. I’m just trying to find my way back into Lowtown.”

The guard took a step closer, “Well, come on then, I’ll show you back to Lowtown.”

She took a step away from the guard, still shaking, “No, I can do it.”

The guard reached out an armored hand and clasped it around her wrist, “Nonsense, it is my duty to escort you back. Besides, no one is supposed to be near the warehouses this time at night.” He looked down at her with his dark eyes, “Wouldn’t want anyone to think you were doing something unlawful, would you?”

Bethany tried to pull back her wrist, but the guard just squeezed harder, sending a sharp pain up her arm. He began to pull her along, back out of the alleyway. Her heart beat faster and she felt sick to her stomach, “Please let me go, serah. I will find my own way back home.”

The guard stopped and yanked her closer to him, “What is wrong with you? You’re acting quite suspicious.”

She tried to scream, tried to let Arden know that she was in trouble, but her voice would not come to her. Instead, without thinking, she loosed a blast of energy, knocking the guard into the nearby wall.

It was too much to hope that it would knock the man unconscious. Anger burned in his dark eyes as he stood back up. Bethany pleaded with herself, trying to force herself to run, but she felt like her legs were made of jelly. The guard rushed at her, turning her around and pushed her into the wall behind her. “Apostate,” he growled in her ear as he bound her hands behind her. A gauntlet encased hand clamped over her mouth as he dragged her from the alley. “Tyson, ready a boat for the Gallows!”

Bethany felt her blood freeze in her veins at the guard’s words and looked up helplessly at the man. He didn’t even look at her as he pulled her along. Tears fell from her eyes as she looked out at the water and saw the Gallows towering above the waves like a stern and ancient god.

Arden’s eyes flew open and he jolted upright in his bed. For a brief and unfortunate moment, he forgot where he was, and his forehead smacked into the ceiling above him. Swearing softly under his breath, he lay back down and rubbed his now throbbing head. After it subsided, he blew out a breath, “A dream…just a dream…”

The door to the small room opened and Bethany stepped inside, she looked up at him in his bunk and smiled her sweet smile, “Good morning sleepy head.”

Arden jumped down to the floor from his bed and stretched, “Good morning, Beth.”

His sister tossed him a shirt, “Come on, get dressed. Athenril sent for us.”

He pulled the linen shirt over his head and yawned, “New job already?”

“Something about the docks. We should hurry, you know she doesn’t like waiting,” she smiled as she walked back out of the room.

Arden felt sick to his stomach and mumbled to himself, “Docks. Why can’t my nightmares just be nightmares?”

oOo

Arden slammed his fists into the table, “Andraste’s ass, Athenril! I’m telling you that this is a bad idea!” After working with the smuggler elf for five months, Arden had become an integral part of job planning. Athenril had recognized that his “gut feelings” had some merit, but not today. Today, she wanted to butt heads with him and he was starting to get angry.

The elf folded her arms in front of her and arched an eyebrow, “Hawke, if we did everything your way, I’d never make any money. The information is good, I checked. We’re doing it, and I don’t want to hear any more arguing.”

Arden rubbed his temples to quell the throbbing in his head. He didn’t want to fight with her anymore, the job would be fine for the most part, just removing some of the goods from that night’s shipment. It should just be an “in and out” job, but that dream he had, that guard at the dock dragging Bethany toward the Gallows, it made his stomach turn as he felt her fear. He wanted to keep his sister out of their hands, “Alright, but I don’t want to bring Beth into this. If I am going to do this, it’s just going to be me and you, Athenril.”

Athenril arched an eyebrow, “You really don’t have any choice in the matter. You work for me, remember?”

Arden’s patience was dwindling. He didn’t want Bethany anywhere near this, but he knew Athenril was as stubborn as they come and it drove him half mad sometimes. However, if he was completely honest with himself, he actually enjoyed fighting with her in a way. She was much more fun to converse with than anyone else he met in Kirkwall so far, so he decided to resort to a less than gentlemanly tactic.

He flashed a charming grin at her, “Oh, come on, Athenril, you and I could do this job with our eyes closed. Besides, I know you have just been dying to get me alone in a back alley. Let’s leave Beth behind just this once.”

A coy smirk pulled at her lips, “Normally, Hawke, I’d laugh that grin off your face, but you’re lucky I like you.” Her grey-green eyes flashed up at him as her smirk grew into a smile, “Okay, I suppose we’ll do it your way this time.”


	8. Chapter 8

Arden crouched atop the roof of the dock warehouse and watched as the men below unloaded barrels off the ship. All he needed to do was wait until everything was unloaded and then sneak in through the back of the warehouse. Their dock contact should have left the door unlocked, and Arden hoped that the man was good on his word.

Athenril sat down next to him and watched just as he did, “Everyone’s waiting a few alleys over.” Another barrel was rolled onto the dock, “Andraste’s ass, you’d think they knew we were coming. Why is this taking so long?”

Arden shrugged and said nothing. He didn’t like waiting either; he just wanted this night over with. The flash of the guard capturing Bethany played over and over in his head, making his stomach turn. He couldn’t lose her. Not after losing Carver.

Mother still hadn’t fully forgiven him for what happened to Carver. She blamed him, said he should have seen it coming. It had been five months of choking guilt and listening to her tears. He hated the world on the days he didn’t believe it was his fault. And himself on the days he did, which was happening more and more.

“Finally!”

Athenril’s excited whisper pulled him from his thoughts and he looked down at the dock below. All of the cargo had been moved into the warehouse and the dockhands began to disperse into the night. Arden pushed away a few strands of raven hair that had fallen in front of his jade eyes and sighed, “All right, let’s get to work.”

They both quietly descended from the roof and into the darkened alley. After taking a few steps, the wind changed direction and Arden could hear faint footfalls and the soft clink of armor. His heart began to pound heavily in his chest and he muttered under his breath, “I hate it when I’m right.” His eyes flicked around the alley, there was nowhere to hide. Instead, he grabbed Athenril’s shoulder and pushed her small frame against the wall.

She pushed against him and whispered harshly, “What the hell are you doing?”

“Just trust me.” He closed his mouth over hers and kissed her fiercely while his fingers worked the laces of her linen shirt open. The elf fought him for a few brief moments before she softened against his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him down to her. Arden lifted her up by the back of her thighs and held her against the wall as she fought for dominance in the kiss. The top half of her shirt was completely unlaced and hanging open, letting the tops of her breasts peek out. She had slid her small hands down to his waist and pulled at the closures of his breeches. Arden’s eyes flew open in surprise before they closed again. He wasn’t expecting this to feel good, but it did. It really, really did.

“Oi! What are you two doing?”

Arden’s lips broke away from Athenril’s and looked to the end of the alley. A dark eyed guard stared at them. The inkling of familiarity burned the back of his eyes, this was the guard he saw drag Bethany in his dream. He swore under his breath and then spoke, “What does it look like? We’re busy!”

The guard inched closer, “This ain’t the Blooming Rose.”

Arden clucked his tongue impatiently, “I was looking for a more secluded venue. Now bugger off!” He prayed to the Maker that the guard couldn’t hear his heart thundering in his chest. He could feel Athenril’s hand slide down to her boot where she kept a dagger. He squeezed her thigh and flicked his eyes down to hers, silently willing her to stop.

She stopped moving and smiled at the guard, “’Fraid he’s all paid up, serah. If he don’t get his money’s worth, it’s bad for business. We’ll be moving on after, I promise.”

The guard stopped walking towards them and just looked them over. After a long moment, he spoke, “Just don’t dawdle. Do what you came for and leave.” The man turned and left the alley without another word.

Neither Arden nor Athenril dared to breathe until the clank of armor faded into the empty of the night. Arden sighed a breath of relief and looked down at Athenril, “Are you alright?”

His answer came in the form of a left hook across his cheek, “That was for kissing me.” Then, much to his surprise, she pulled his face to hers and kissed him forcefully. Her lips worked against his in a feverish hunger that left him lightheaded when she finally pulled away, “And that was for being so damn good at it. Now come on, that Antivan brandy isn’t going to move itself.”

oOo

Arden and Bethany’s year with Athenril had nearly come and gone, with him butting heads and locking lips with the smuggler all the while.

Athenril tossed him a wineskin, “I have to say, Hawke, I’m genuinely going to miss having you around. You’re worth more than half the slobs in Lowtown.” Arden grinned at her and took a swig of wine. “And you have a much better looking ass, too,” she added with a smirk.

He nearly choked, “Th-thanks, Athenril.”

She sat on the table, letting her legs dangle between his, “You know, you don’t have to go when the year is up. You’re welcome to stay on with me. Bethany too, if she wants.”

He took another swallow of wine, “It’s a generous offer. But now that the Blight is—“

She narrowed her eyes at him, “You really aren’t considering going back to Ferelden are you?”

He shrugged, “Not sure yet. There’s a new king now. New queen too, from what I hear.”

Athenril slid off the table and took the wineskin, drinking deeply. She pushed him back in his chair and straddled his lap, “It would be such a shame for you to spend a year working your way into Kirkwall, just to go back. You could really have a future in the underworld here.”

His heart was a rabbit in his chest. They had been dancing around each other for months, never more than a kiss here, or a grope there. And that was usually when they had too much wine after a successful job. Her fingertips danced across his lower lip before she claimed his mouth with her own. The heat in his face collided with the confusion in his mind. He had never been attracted to woman before. Ever. But Athenril was not like any of the women he had ever met in his life.

His hands fisted in the fabric of her shirt as she unlaced his. He could feel a pull in his belly that seemed to drain all of the air out of his lungs. She broke their kiss and let him breathe again. Her soft lips brushed over his ear, “Given enough time, we could push the Coterie out, you and I.”

Arden shuddered in pleasure and traced the tops of her ears as she hummed in appreciation. ‘So pretty,’ he thought to himself, ‘pretty eyes, pretty hair, pretty ears…’ His stomach twisted. Did he like her because she was an elf? He hadn’t really known any elves before he came to Kirkwall, so he couldn’t say that he had ever been attracted to one before. But he had heard of men that had a fetish for elves, liked them for their small bodies and large eyes.

Suddenly feeling very dirty, Arden pushed her away, “I told you, I haven’t decided. I’m really just trying to keep Bethany out of the Gallows.”

Athenril frowned at him and stood up, “I’m sure you’ll find other work. Bethany might do well at the Blooming Rose, she’s pretty enough.”

Arden stared at her, “That was uncalled for.”

Athenril’s face twisted into a sneer, “Well, I’d like to think at least someone with Hawke blood has an interest in sex.”

He rose from his chair and started for the door, “Good night, Athenril.” He didn’t say another word and walked out into the cold of Lowtown.


	9. Chapter 9

Athenril was frigid to Arden after he walked out on her that night, making his last month working with her uncomfortable. Bethany noticed the sudden shift in their behavior and asked him about it a time or two, but he shrugged her off. He didn’t want to involve her in, well, whatever it was that Athenril was pushing him into. Their departure from Athenril’s smuggling group was bittersweet, but Arden was pleased to be a free man.

  
Things at Gamlen’s home weren’t very pleasant, however.  Mother was still grieving. Gamlen was insufferable and drunk most of the time. And now, Arden and Bethany were out scrounging for work.

  
Bethany sat down on the stairs in front of the house next to Arden, “Thom says the Coterie is looking for a few new men. Might be worth you checking out.”

  
Arden sighed and dropped his head into his hands, “Coterie? Athenril would go into fits.” He raised his head back up and smirked, “Though, maybe that wouldn’t be so bad.”

  
His sister frowned, “That’s not very nice, Arden. Why have you been so horrid about her?”

  
Arden looked away, “No reason.”

  
“Well, anyway, what are we going to do? Mother is worried all the time. And Gamlen is…well…”

  
He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, “It’s okay, Beth. I’ll figure something out, I promise.” The morning fog was starting to roll away from the battered cobblestone and the air filled with the sounds of the merchants opening their Lowtown stands. “Let’s take a walk.”

  
Bethany smiled a little, “Okay, where do you want to go?”

  
Arden stood up and stretched, “Hightown.”

  
Her smiled faded away, “Hightown? But there are so many guards up there.”

  
He held his hand out to his sister, “I know. But I want to check in with Aveline. We haven’t seen her in months and there might be some work.” A gentle smirk spread across his face, “Don’t worry, I won’t let any smelly Templars get anywhere near my little sister.”

  
oOo

  
The Hightown square was bustling with merchants haggling with their customers. Arden and Bethany slipped through the crowd and walked up the stairs on the other side. Arden stopped and looked around for a moment, “I think the Viscount’s Keep is that way.”

  
Bethany squeezed Arden’s hand as they walked and he could feel her trembling. She never liked large crowds, but it became worse when they arrived in Kirkwall, where people were always in abundance. Once, she told Arden that she dreamt that a Templar pulled her away through the crowd, making her lose sight of her brother forever.

  
“It’s fortunate that you don’t have the burden of sight, Beth,” he had told her as he brushed away her night sweats and kissed her forehead, “it was just a dream, nothing more.” Yet, after that, he could tell she was still nervous whenever they walked through a crowd. And as they rounded the next corner, there was reason to be.

  
A tall woman in full Templar plate marched through the street. She was fair in eyes and complexion, and strands of blonde hair peeked out from under her red hood. There was an air of authority around her that seemed to force people out of her way. Arden’s heart nearly stopped when he saw her coming towards them, but she didn’t seem to notice him or Bethany.

  
That wouldn’t stop him from being cautious though, “C’mon, Beth, let’s go this way instead.” They cut down a side street and tried to look as casual as possible.

  
“Arden…” Bethany was shaking tremendously by the time they were out of sight of the Templar.

  
He brushed her dark hair away from her soft, brown eyes, “Shhh… It’s okay, now. We’re just taking the scenic route through Hightown. Y’know, see the sights. Like,” he looked around to see where they had ended up, “the Dwarven Merchants Guild! We haven’t seen that in a while.”

  
Arden remembered the last time he came to the Dwarven Merchants Guild. He was smuggling out crates of Orlesian mead, which ended up being Navarran moonshine. It was still valuable, but not quite what Athenril was looking for at the time. He had told her that’s what she gets for listening to a dwarf named “Worthy”. Then they drank an entire bottle and snogged.

  
He shook the thought out of his head and looked back at the Guild. There was a group of dwarves and men out front, shouting at each other. “I wonder what’s going on?” he said out loud, to no one in particular.

  
An answer came to him from just a few yards over, “Oh, they are discussing the terms for the expedition.” Arden whirled around and looked down to a dwarf leaning against the wall. He had a kind smile and brown hair that swept off to the side.

  
Arden’s curiosity was piqued, “Expedition? To where?”

  
“The deep roads. Bartrand is leading an expedition, he invited my boy and I to go with him and keep him supplied. Oh! Where are my manners? Name’s Bodahn Feddic, and this here is my boy Sandal.” The younger dwarf next to Bodahn scratched himself as a dopey smile spread across his face.

  
Arden smiled at them, “Hello, Bodahn and Sandal. I’m Arden, Arden Hawke and this is my sister, Bethany.” He looked back over, the argument seemed to have subsided, but no one looked happy, especially the blonde dwarf with the thick beard in the middle of everyone. “Tell me, Bodahn. Is Bartrand looking for any help? Like protection?”

  
Bodahn rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand, “Not sure. You a mercenary, serah?”

  
Arden shook his head, “No, but we have experience fighting Darkspawn. Could be useful in the deep roads.”

  
“Well, there’s usually plenty of Darkspawn down there, and never hurts to have an extra hand in the fight. But, hopefully, there won’t be too many with the Blight ending. Sandal and I just came from Ferelden, in fact.”

  
“My sister and I are both Fereldan. We fled a year or so ago, feels like a lifetime though.”

  
Bodahn chuckled, “I can certainly understand. Thought I might have had my fill of Darkspawn and adventuring after that. We spent quite a bit of time with the Hero of Ferelden, too. Those were exciting times indeed, weren’t they, Sandal?”

  
Sandal clapped his hands excitedly, “Queen! Queen!”

  
“That’s right! She became the queen! A Grey Warden queen.” The dwarf turned his attention back to Arden, “We came to Kirkwall to set up shop, but the lure of adventure called again, so we ended up signing on with Bartrand for the expedition. You could go talk to him, can’t guarantee anything though, he’s usually not in a pleasant mood these days.”

  
Arden grinned, “Never hurts to try, right? Which one is Bartrand?”

  
Bodahn pointed to the surly blonde dwarf that Arden saw before, “Bartrand Tethras. Good luck Serah Hawke, hope to see you again.”

  
Arden nodded his head slightly, “I hope to see you, as well, Bodahn, thank you. Come on, Beth.” He led the way over to Bartrand and put on his most charming of smiles, “Hello!”

  
Bartrand looked up at Arden and scowled, “Yeah? What do you want?”

  
His smile stayed on, “Heard you were planning an expedition into the deep roads and—“

  
“Let me guess, you’re a Fereldan? Got experience with Darkspawn? Save it, I’m not interested.”

  
Bethany spoke up, “But, serah…”

  
Bartrand scratched his beard, “Look, I am sure you two are the greatest refugees that ever fled, but I’m not interested. Go find another meal ticket, I’m busy.” The dwarf stalked off into the Guild without a look back.

  
Arden raked his hand through his raven hair, “Damn. Damn damn damn.”

  
Bethany touched his shoulder gently, “I’m sorry, Arden.”

  
He blew out a heavy sigh, “It’s alright. We’ll see if we can find some other work.” He took her hand and they started walking down the street again. As they continued on, someone bumped hard into Arden. “Hey! Watch it!”

  
The man that bumped into him took off into a run. Arden felt around his belt, his coin purse was gone. He called after the man, “Hey!” Just as he was about to give chase, the pickpocket slammed into one of the columns that lined the street. He flailed and grasped at his shoulder. Arden jogged closer to take a look; the thief was pinned by an arrow.

  
Out of the shadows, a blonde, beardless dwarf with a large, strange crossbow emerged. He walked up to the pickpocket and looked him over, “I once knew a man who could empty all the coin out of your pockets without even a touch. But you,” he looked him over again, “you don’t have the finesse to work Hightown, let alone the Merchants Guild. Get yourself a new hobby.” The dwarf punched the thief in the face and he slumped against the wall, held up only by the arrow that fastened him to the wall. Once the arrow was removed, he crumpled to the ground and the dwarf nudged him with an oiled leather boot, “Amateur.”

  
Arden watched with interest, almost forgetting about his stolen purse until the dwarf tossed it back to him with a smile. He caught it with one hand and stared down at it, wordless.

  
“I heard you say your name is Arden Hawke?”

  
Arden looked back at the dwarf, who was now smirking up at him, “Yeah, that’s me.”

  
The dwarf spun his arrow between his fingers, “Hello, Arden Hawke. Varric Tethras, at your service. Come, let’s grab a drink. Ever been to the Hanged Man?”


	10. Chapter 10

Varric explained his plan to Arden and Bethany as Norah, the tavern wench, brought them their ale. Bartrand was having trouble funding the expedition and needed help, but was far too stubborn to try to find someone to assist with money. “So, invest fifty sovereigns and there is no way that Bartrand could refuse.”

Arden nearly choked on his drink, “And you assume I have that kind of coins just lying around?”

The dwarf leaned back and smirked at him, “You are the famous Arden Hawke, aren’t you? I hear you have an almost unnatural way of finding well paying jobs. Athenril’s smuggling operations doubled with you around. Rumor has it that, well, she regrets letting you go.”

Arden’s stomach soured and he set his glass down; he really didn’t want to think about Athenril. Regardless of how he felt about her, Varric was right; he did have a knack for being at the right place at the right time. It would take a while, but he could scrape together the sovereigns.

Bethany leaned in towards her brother and whispered, “What do you think?"

“Risky to be sure. But I promised to keep you safe from the Templars, and this could be our big break.” He looked back at Varric, whose smirk was still spread across his beardless face, “Count us in.”

“Wonderful!” The dwarf raised his cup to toast Arden and Bethany, “To the start of a long and lucrative friendship!”

oOo

The Deeps Roads were dark and the air was bitter. The expedition had been a fool’s errand; they had been wandering for a week looking for a way out. Arden wasn’t sure how much longer they’d be able to keep it up. He looked over to his sister as they walked along the broken roadway, she didn’t look well. She was pale, but she never complained. 

Varric tried to tell a story or two, to help pass the time, but even the cheery dwarf was worn down by the Deep Roads. As a surface dwarf, he was very uncomfortable being so deep in the earth. “Might as well be in the Fade, I’d be just as out of place,” he said.

Bethany collapsed into the stone with barely a sigh. Arden rushed to her side, calling for Varric to bring her some water. “We’ll make camp here, Beth. You can rest now.” 

A sad look swept across her pained face, “No, Arden, I am not going to be able to go any farther.” 

Bethany was cold in his arms, eyes glassy and lazy as she looked up at him. Hot tears fell down Arden’s cheeks, “I’m so sorry, Beth.”

His sister managed a weak smile, “It’s not your fault. You couldn’t have known.”

Arden’s gut wrenched, he did know. He knew it would happen, and he ignored it. He didn’t protect her, he failed.

Just like he failed Carver.

Varric knelt down on the other side of Bethany and took her hand in his, “Sunshine…”

Bethany’s smile never left her face, “Take care of Mother, Arden.” Arden nodded his head slowly and held her tighter, feeling her life leave her body. Lloyd howled out a mournful song into the darkness.

The pain in Arden’s chest woke him from his nightmares. As he sat up in bed, tears still welled in his jade eyes. Arden wiped them away and quietly jumped down to the floor. He could hear the rhythmic sound of his sister’s breathing as she slept.

 _‘It was just a dream. She’s fine. She’s safe,’_ he thought to himself. Another voice in his mind spoke up, _‘When is it ever just a dream, you fool? She’s going to die, and there’s nothing you can do about it.’_

“No. No, that’s not true,” he mumbled.

The voice would not be silenced, _‘It is true. You’ve seen it, so it’s destined to happen. You should know that by now. Bethany will die, then Mother will hate and abandon you. You will be all alone, with no one left to love you, just as you were meant to be.’_

“Shut up.”

_‘What did the witch call you? A seer? She said seers always lose their wits, didn’t she? Look at you, talking to yourself. Perhaps you should throw yourself off a cliff, save the world a whole lot of—‘_

“No! Stop it!”

Bethany stirred, “Arden?” She sat up and wiped the sleep from her eyes, “Arden, are you okay?”

Arden took a deep breath and let it out shakily, “I am alright. Just a bad dream, go back to sleep.”

“Are you sure?”

Arden bent down and kissed her forehead, “I’m sure. Get some sleep, Bethany. We’ve got guard duties with Aveline tomorrow, remember?”

Bethany sleepily muttered in agreement as she lay back down. After a few moments, she was sound asleep again.

Arden sat on the edge of her bed and watched her. He couldn’t get the dream out of his head; it played over and over in his mind. He whispered softly to his sleeping sister, “I won’t let it come to pass, I promise.”

oOo

Arden was sore by the time he made it back from the barracks. Fighting bandits and highwaymen was taxing work, but it paid well, even if they did manage to unseat the Captain of the Guard from his office. 

“Cleaning corruption from the Viscount’s Keep… Doing the Maker’s work now, aren’t we, Beth?” he chuckled as he unbuckled the straps of his leathers.

“I’m just happy that Aveline did not get in trouble with the Seneschal. I think she will make a good captain.”

Arden closed the door to their small room, “She most certainly will. I’ve never met someone who commanded so much authority by just standing there in armor.” He knelt and pulled up the loose floorboard under the bed. The candlelight flickered in the metal of the small chest he pulled up from the hole in the floor. Opening it, he tossed two silvers and three sovereigns in, “Forty-five to go, Beth.”

Just before he closed the chest, something at the bottom caught his eye. He gently picked up the silver chain with the deep red stone that Flemeth had given him just before Gwaren. Suddenly, he remembered his promise from over a year ago. Arden looked up at his sister, “We need to find the Dalish.”

Bethany looked down at him, “It’s a dangerous walk up to Sundermount.”

Arden smirked at his sister, “Don’t worry, Beth. It will be an adventure, I’ll ask Varric to tag along, he can tell you stories.” He looked back at the cold stone in his hand, “Maybe he knows a couple of tales about the Witch of the Wilds.”


	11. Chapter 11

“Damn! You beat me again, Hawke,” Varric threw his cards down on the table and picked up his tankard, taking a long sip, “Never played Diamondback before, my ass!”

Arden grinned, “Guess I’m just lucky.”

The dwarf chuckled and shook his head, “Was it luck that got you and Red mixed up with Jeven?”

“Hey, wasn’t my fault that he was double dealing. I was just looking for a little extra coin and Aveline needed help,” Arden drank the last of the ale from his tankard and then raised it up to signal Norah for another, “How was I supposed to know that I was clearing out a right bastard and getting Aveline a promotion?”

Norah brought them another round as Varric shuffled the cards for a new hand, “That’s what I’m saying, Hawke. You’ve got luck, a weird kind of luck, but it’s luck. You go in for something simple and you step in something messy, but you come out richer! It’s brilliant!” The dwarf dealt out the cards, “Well, except for when I lose money in Diamondback.”

Arden picked up his tankard and took a swallow, “We could play Wicked Grace instead.”

“Oh no, I’m not falling for that again! You’re even better at Wicked Grace than you are in this.” Varric arranged the cards in his hand and looked back at Arden, “You said you had something to ask me?”

Arden took a peek at his cards on the table, before laying them face down on the table, “Yeah I did. I told you how Bethany and I got to Kirkwall, right?”

“How could I forget? The Blight at your heels, vanquishing a menacing ogre, and mysterious witches! I couldn’t have written a better story myself!” Varric threw two silver coins in the middle of the table, “What about it?”

Arden tossed his coins onto the table, matching Varric’s bet and took another sip of his ale, “I was supposed to make a delivery for Flemeth. And it’s been over a year now; I should probably keep my end of the bargain.”

“Yeah, I’d hate to have to tell the story of your tragic demise. I don’t think ‘frog’ would be a good look for you.” Varric looked over his cards again, three were high, so he threw another silver into the middle, “What do you need to deliver?”

Arden fished the silver amulet out of his pouch and held it up for Varric to see. Candlelight flickered in the deep red stone of the pendant, “This.” He dropped it into the dwarf’s outstretched palm, “It’s got to go to the Dalish keeper up on Sundermount.”

Varric looked the amulet over, “It feels like ice. I was expecting it to be warm, y’know, because she was a dragon and all.” He gave it back to Arden before wiping his palm on the sleeve of his leather duster, “So you’ve got to get up to Sundermount? Sound fun.”

Arden dropped the silver chain and pendant back into his pouch and said, “Glad you think so, because I was going to ask you to come with me.”

The blonde dwarf grinned broadly, “Count me in, I’ve been looking for some material for a new story.”

oOo

Arden, Bethany, Aveline, and Varric set out for Sundermount at dawn and arrived at the outskirts of the Dalish camp by midday. Two Dalish elves challenged them as they approached. Arden wasn’t sure what kind of greeting they would receive, but he wasn’t expecting to have a bowstrung arrow pointed in his direction.

One of the elves spoke to Arden, long fingers gripped the pommel of the longsword on his hip, “What do you want, shemlen?”

Arden hesitated for a moment before speaking, “I am supposed to bring an amulet to the Dalish keeper, Marethari.”

The other elf lowered her bow and looked at the first elf, “Do you think this shemlen is the one that the keeper spoke of?”

The male elf turned his nose up at Arden, “I was expecting an elf, not a human.”

Arden shifted from one foot to the other, “Well, I’m not an elf. Can we go see the keeper?”

The female with the bow stood aside, “Proceed with care, shemlen. We still have arrows trained on you.”

“Cheery bunch,” Varric muttered to Arden as they walked through the camp.

“Yeah, but we’re here now. We just have to get this thing to the keeper and then we can leave. How hard can that be?” Arden squeezed the leather pouch in his hand, feeling the cold of the amulet that was stuffed inside.

Varric grimaced. “That’s the worst thing you could say in a situation like this. Next thing you know, we’ll all be hiding behind Red as she rams her way to the exit.” The dwarf looked back at Aveline and smiled. 

Aveline did not look amused.

Arden looked down at Varric, “It’ll be fine.” He spotted an older elven woman with white hair tied neatly back in a bun. She was looking right at him; Arden could feel his stomach knot up, “That’s probably her, come on.” The amulet grew heavier in his hand with every step he took towards her. “Greetings. Are you the keeper?”

The elf smiled softly, “Yes, I am Marethari. You must be the one we’ve been waiting for.”

“Were you expecting us?” Bethany asked with a confused look.

“I wasn’t quite sure who to expect, child, just that Asha’belannar would be sending them,” she looked at each one of them and spread her palms out before her, “and here you are.”

Bethany looked at her brother and shrugged, “Well, she was a witch.”

Arden just shrugged and opened his leather pouch, pouring the cold silver amulet into his open hand. “Yeah, I suppose we shouldn’t have expected a normal rendezvous after being saved by the Witch of the Wilds.” He held it out for Marethari and said, “This is what Flemeth asked me to bring to you, keeper.”

Marethari did not take it from him, just merely studied the deep red stone of the pendant, “You said she saved you?”

Arden nodded, “Yes. She helped my family leave Fereldan, and in return asked me to bring you this.”

The keeper’s eyes lifted to look at Arden, “You have done well. A bargain with Asha’belannar is not small thing.” She folded her hands in front of her and turned to look up at the mountain that towered above them. “There is just one more task for you to complete. You will need to take it to the summit and perform a ritual.”

Arden arched an eyebrow, “Ritual? For a necklace?”

Marethari smiled and reached out to close Arden’s long fingers around the amulet, “It’s a funeral of sorts.”

Varric chuckled, “Oh, a funeral. That makes much more sense.”

The keeper did not seem to hear the dwarf; her eyes were locked on to Arden, “Bring it to the summit. My first will meet you on the trail and she will help you. Her name is Merrill. Do this, and consider your debt with Asha’belannar repaid.”

Arden looked down at his hand; it began to ache from the cold of the amulet. He dropped it back inside the leather pouch and pulled the strings to close it. “Okay, we’ll go to the summit. Come on, we should get there before it gets much later.” He turned to go, but Marethari touched his arm, stopping him.

“When you complete your task, I ask that you take Merrill with you.”

Arden looked down at her wizened face with confusion, “You want me to take her with us? Why?”

Sadness swept across the keeper’s face, “It is her choice, she wishes to walk a different path. If she is to live amongst the humans, then I would like her to be in the company of those that are trustworthy.” Her eyes lifted to the top of Sundermount. “And if Asha’belannar can place her trust in you, so can I.”


	12. Chapter 12

Arden and his companions started up the steep mountain path. Aveline walked next to him and whispered, “You do know this is insane, right?”

He shrugged and looked into her doubting green eyes, “What choice do I have? You were there, Aveline. You think I should break a promise to the Witch of the Wilds?”

Aveline sighed and shook her head, “You’re right. But still, a funeral rite for an amulet? I don’t li—do you hear that?”

Arden did hear it. A soft voice drifted down to them from further up the path. He couldn’t make out the words, but it sounded like a chant, or perhaps a spell. It had the same rhythm of the words that Bethany and his father used in their spells. They rounded a cluster of boulders and Arden almost tripped over the source of the voice. A small, sable-haired elf looked up at them, eyes wide with surprise. Arden took two steps back, bumping into Varric. “Oh! I’m sorry! We did not mean to frighten you!”

The elf jumped up to her feet. Her spring green eyes flicked to everything around her, like she just realized where she was. She smoothed the front of her robe down and smiled at him. “Oh, it’s alright. I shouldn’t sit in the middle of paths. Well, just about anywhere can be made a path, so no matter where I sit; I will probably be in the way. I’m babbling, sorry. You must be the one the keeper spoke of, I’m Merrill. Aneth ara. What’s your name? Is it rude to ask a human their name? I haven’t met many humans. I remember one human, he had a beard. Do all humans have beards? Oh, that’s a silly question, none of you have beards…I’m rambling again...”

Arden just stared at her for a moment, not sure if he should laugh or check her for a fever. He pulled himself back together and gave Merrill a warm smile, “I’m not easily offended. Hello, my name is Arden Hawke. This is my sister, Bethany, and my friends, Aveline and Varric. Marethari told us that you would help with the funeral rite?”

“Yes, I am the keeper’s first, err, was the keeper’s first. But I know the rite; we’ll need to get to the top of the mountain. It’s this way!” Merrill turned and began walking up the path.

Arden looked at Merrill and then down at Varric, who was chuckling softly. “What do you make of her?”

The dwarf looked up at him with a grin, “She’s a daisy. Make sure you don’t wilt her with your charms, Hawke.” 

Arden laughed and shook his head. “I’ll try to tone it down. Come on, she’s going to leave us behind.” He caught up with Merrill easily, “So, this rite…is it difficult to perform?”

“No. At least I do not think it is. Just some chanting and hand waving. It’s really rather boring, but the view from the top is pretty. We just have to be wary of the spirits here.” Merrill leaned on her walking staff as she climbed up on a rocky ledge and looked down at Arden, “They don’t like it when their slumber is disturbed.”

He smiled at her and climbed up the ledge before turning to help Bethany up. “I suppose I would be cranky, too, if someone interrupted my nap.”

“Oh, it’s not a nap, at least not…oh, that’s not what you meant is it?” She smiled nervously and continued on. 

Arden followed after her shaking his head. It was a cloudy day and the wind began to pick up as they hiked further up the trail, but Merrill was right, the mountain had a pretty view. He couldn’t wait to reach the top, though, it was getting colder the further they went and it was starting to ache his bones.  
Suddenly, the ground shifted beneath their feet. A rotted hand burst up from the rocky soil and grabbed at Bethany’s ankle. She screamed and kicked it away. More hands reached up and began to pull the bodies they were attached to out of the earth. A half dozen corpses stood, wobbling and moaning, and Arden couldn’t remember how to breathe or what he was supposed to do.

Until the creatures screeched an unnatural scream and began to run towards them.

Arden’s daggers were in his hands without so much as a blink, and even then, it wasn’t fast enough. One of the corpses crashed into him, sending them both toppling. Arden punched at the creature’s twisted skull and tried to push it away from him, but it was stronger than he was. It pressed down on his throat with its foul hands, crushing the air from him. Everything began to tunnel around him and he couldn’t hear anything anymore. Arden kept punching at the corpse, but every blow got weaker and weaker as the world darkened. 

Arden thought death had come to claim him when the great weight on his chest lifted, but the burning in his lungs as he gasped for air told him otherwise. The corpse still hovered above him, clawing out, but a thick vine twisted around it and yanked it back violently. More vines shot up from the ground, entangling the creature and tearing it to pieces. Arden rolled onto his side coughing and gagging as his body tried to pull in as much air as it could. His vision returned slowly and he could see Merrill come into focus. The vines were coming from the ground around her feet. Arden had seen several different kinds of magic over the years, but none like this. Was this the magic of the Dalish?

All of the other corpses must have been dispatched easier than the one that attacked him. Aveline and Varric were breathing quite hard, but looked no worse for wear. Bethany knelt down beside him and helped sit up. “Arden, are you alright?” He could already feel the warmth of her magic that encircled his head.  
Arden coughed and sputtered for a moment, trying to find words. But Bethany’s healing worked quickly and he was able to speak. “Yes, I’m fine. What the hell were those things?”

Merrill was standing behind the others, as if trying not to get to close to him. “Restless spirits. We are near the altar, that’s where they sleep. Uthenara, the endless dream. Something has disturbed them, and they aren’t sleeping so peacefully anymore.”

Varric laughed nervously, “That’s for sure.”

Arden shakily stood up, “You used magic, Merrill.”

The elf wrung her hands and looked down at the ground for a moment before looking back up at him. “All the keepers know a bit of old magic. I should have told you, I know that humans don’t exactly look kindly upon magic, but I wanted to help.”

Arden smiled gently at her, “I’m grateful for your help, thank you, Merrill. I’ve lived around magic my whole life, so no need to worry. It’s always good to have another helping hand.”

Merrill’s spring green eyes lit up. She managed a smile, the first genuine smile that Arden had seen from her. “Oh, good. I was afraid it would scare you with the vines.”

He laughed, “As long as you scare our enemies with them and not point them at me, no need to worry.”

“Of course! I would never point them at…oh, you were being funny again weren’t you? Well, we’re almost to the altar, it just up here.” She turned and began walking up the steep path once again.

Bethany was still hovering next to him, with a worried look on her face. He squeezed her hand and smiled, “I’m alright, Beth. Thank you. Come on, go catch up.” She and Aveline walked in front of him and Varric. Arden looked down at the dwarf and whispered, “Still think she’s a daisy?”

Varric chuckled, “Definitely. Mage, huh? And that keeper wants you to take her to a city infested with Templars?”

Arden shrugged, “Wouldn’t be the first time we’ve had to keep a mage out of their sight. I’m sure Merrill’s got her reasons.”

They all walked in silence until Merrill stopped them at the top of the path, where two stone pillars formed a gateway. Bethany shivered and looked around, “There’s a lot of magic here.”

Merrill nodded, “Yes, there’s a seal here to keep the altar safe. Give me a moment, I’ll open it.” The elf pulled a small knife from her belt and turned to gate, muttering something in the same rhythmic pattern that Arden heard when they met. Merrill slashed the palm of her hand and pressed it against one of the pillars. A bright light enveloped her and became brighter and brighter, forcing Arden to shield his eyes. Finally, it darkened and Merrill stopped her chanting, “There we are.”

Bethany reached out for Merrill’s injured hand and looked at her in confusion, “You summoned something, didn’t you? Are you mad?”

Merrill pulled away and put her knife back in her belt. She looked between Bethany and Merrill nervously. “Yes, I did. I called a demon, but it helped us. We couldn’t get in otherwise; this ground has been sealed for years.”

Arden’s sister looked up at him, “Demons. Arden, this is blood magic.”

He rubbed his forehead and squeezed his eyes shut. “Well, we did need to get in.” He opened them back up and turned to Merrill. “Merrill, I understand why…but, you do know that demons don’t _keep_ helping, don’t you?”

The elf turned away and her voice began to crack, “I know. I know what I’m doing. I’m not a danger to anyone.”

Arden sighed, “We don’t think you’re dangerous, Merrill. You’ve been helping. Just…be careful.”

Merrill wiped her eyes and faced him again, “I will. The altar is just over here, we can perform the rite for Asha’belannar.”

They approached the altar and Arden pulled the amulet from his leather pouch. “So what do I do now?”

Merrill arranged a few colorful stones on top of the altar and pointed to the center of them, “Lay it there and take a step back.” Arden placed the amulet in the middle of the stones and stepped back to stand with his companions. Merrill looked up at the cloudy sky and her lips began to move. No sounds came out at first, but she slowly began to chant louder and louder. The chant wasn’t quite a song, but it had a melodious rhythm, and was tinged with sadness. She raised her hands above her head and her words became more passionate, like she was coming to a crescendo, then she lowered her head and arms all at once and became silent. Silence ruled the air for a long moment; there were no birdsongs, or wind blowing around them.

It was deathly silent.

Then the wind blew with a great force, making all of them sway on their feet and fight to stay upright. Arden hung onto Bethany, trying to keep her steady. The wind swirled around them and the altar, and Arden could barely make out a shape that began to form in front of them. Bethany clutched at the straps on Arden’s leathers, “What’s happening?”

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, “I don’t know.” He closed his eyes against the wind. Slowly, it began to die and Arden could stand without struggling. He opened his eyes and checked that his sister was alright. A familiar voice reached his ears and made him face the altar once more.

Yellow, avian eyes peered from under hooded lids and a slow smirk spread across Flemeth’s face. “Ah, Arden Hawke.”

Merrill knelt, “Asha’belannar.”

The witch turned to Merrill, “One of the people, yes? Please stand, child, the people kneel too quickly.” Merrill rose to her feet and nodded her head. Flemeth looked back at Arden, “Nice to see that the seer is still alive. And that he keeps his promises.”

Arden grasped desperately for words as he stared at Flemeth. How was she here? Was she hiding in the amulet? Could she do that? “I…we had a bargain.”

Flemeth’s smirk grew. “That we did. Though, I half expected to have my amulet end up in a merchant’s pocket.”

Sense returned to Arden and he gathered himself enough to put his charming smile back on, “I don’t think any merchant would want it if they knew a witch was inside. If you wanted to come to Kirkwall, Flemeth, you could have ridden on the ship with the rest of us.”

Flemeth threw her head back in laughter, “Oh no. You won’t see me on a ship if I can help it. But I only needed to send a piece, a small piece. Just in case the worst has come to pass. And if I know my Morrigan… Well, let’s just be thankful you survived your journey.” Flemeth stepped down from the stone altar and looked around. “Hmmm, the Free Marches. I forgot how the Veil felt here. So thin, so…fragile.” She inhaled deeply, closing her eyes. “We stand on the precipice of change, seer, can’t you feel it?”

Arden said nothing and shook his head when Flemeth opened her eyes again. He couldn’t feel anything. The only thing he had felt lately was a fear for his sister’s safety, but Flemeth couldn’t possibly be talking about that. Witches don’t concern themselves with the fates of those weaker than them. Or perhaps they did, and this was all a game to her.

Flemeth sighed, “Well, seer, if you open yourself to it, you will feel it. The world is changing, and it will swallow you if you let it. It is only when we are to fall, do we know that we can fly.”

Arden chuckled, “Cheap advice from a dragon.”

The witch Laughed, “True enough. “ She reached a gauntleted hand out and tilted Arden’s chin up. “At any rate, you should keep your eyes open. A seer with his eyes shut to the world may as well cast himself into the depths of the sea.” She stepped away from him and turned towards the edge of the summit. “You have my thanks, Arden,” facing them once more, her face grew a bit sad as she looked to Bethany and then back to him, “and my sympathy.” Light swirled around her and Flemeth melted away, leaving the dragon in her stead. With a great flap of its massive wings, it took flight and soared over the top of Sundermount and disappeared into the horizon.

Arden breathed out a sigh of relief and smiled at his sister, “Well, looks like we’ve paid all of our debts.”

Bethany nodded, “What do you think she meant by ‘her sympathy’?”

His heart twisted in his chest as he thought about what it could have meant. Flemeth knew that he saw glimpses of future events; could she know of his dreams about Bethany? He shook those thoughts away and kissed the top of his sister’s head, “Who knows? Witches aren’t the normal sort. Now, come on, let’s get off this mountain. I’m freezing my ass off up here.”

oOo

Arden thanked Marethari and they took their leave of the Dalish camp, with Merrill in their company. Once they reached Kirkwall, Aveline said her good-bye, saying that she had a patrol. Varric bowed out once they passed by the Hanged Man, telling Arden to come in for a drink later and Arden took Bethany home so their mother wouldn’t worry. 

Once Merrill and Arden were alone, Arden introduced her to the elder in the Alienage. Arden had run jobs for the elder here and there; making sure the elves had things they needed, like medicine and food. Luckily, there was an empty hovel left behind by a family that left for Starkhaven. The elder said that it was Merrill’s if she wanted it. Merrill thanked him and Arden walked her to her new home.

Merrill opened the door to the hovel and looked around, “Is this really where the elves live?”

Arden stepped inside and lit the candles on the table, “Yes. But Bethany and I are nearby. If you ever need anything, you can come see us anytime. And we’ll visit of course.” He brushed some dust and dirt off the chairs and pulled one out for Merrill to sit in and took one for himself. “I owe you for saving my life, Merrill.”

Merrill sat down and watched Arden as he started a fire in the hearth. “It’s alright. You don’t owe me anything, you’ve been so nice. It doesn’t bother you? That I’m a…a…”

Arden looked back up at her, “A blood mage?” Merrill nodded and wrung her hands nervously. He smiled gently, “I don’t have problems with magic. You saw that I made deals with witches, and my sister is an apostate. I just…blood magic is dangerous, Merrill. You have your reasons for leaving your clans, so I’m sure you have reasons to make bargains with demons. I hope you understand your risk though. My father always taught us that blood magic corrupts even the purest of intents.”

Merrill nodded her head vigorously, “I know what I’m doing, I promise. I won’t put you in danger, or your sister, or your friends. I want them to be my friends, too. I’ve never really had friends. As a first, you are isolated, and I…I don’t like being lonely.”

He reached for her hand and gave her pale, delicate fingers a squeeze. “You’re not alone, Merrill. Not while you have us.”

Merrill smiled and looked down at their hands. Then she looked up suddenly and her smile melted away. “Arden, Asha’belannar called you ‘seer’. Are you really a seer? I’ve never met a seer, I thought they were only in stories.”

Arden sighed heavily and stood, resting his hands on his head, “It’s a long story, Merrill.”

Merrill looked up at him and smiled again, “It’s okay, I love stories.”


	13. Chapter 13

“It looks like rain.”

Arden looked up to see what his sister was talking about; the sky was indeed getting darker. “Well, we should hurry up and get this ironbark back to Solivitus.” He stood and turned around, “Where’s Merrill? Merrill!”

“I am up here!” Merrill’s voice called from the hill crest above his head. “The sea is really pretty from here, goes out for…well, it goes out for forever!” 

He watched the water crash about the rocks that jutted up like teeth. He enjoyed the sea breeze well enough, but looking at the rolling waves reminded him too much of the voyage to Kirkwall and how often he got seasick. 

Shaking the thought from his head, he watched as Merrill jumped down from the crest and landed in a crouch in the sand. The elf smiled at him, “Ready to go?”

Arden nodded and looked over his shoulder to the sea and the jagged rocks. Was that a mast sticking up out of the water? He turned and stepped closer, trying to get a better look. It was a mast.

And bodies.

“Arden?” Bethany reached out and touched his shoulder, “Arden, what’s wrong?”

He looked back at her, brow furrowed in concern. “There’s a ship…” 

“What ship?” Merrill flitted closer and looked over the rocks. “I don’t see a ship. Is it a little ship? Would that even still be called a ship? Boat maybe?”

Arden turned back to the sea, “There’s a ship ri—“ His jade eyes searched the waters between the rocks, where was it? It was just there!

“Arden, are you okay?”

He faced his sister, “Beth, it was there! A ship! I saw it! And there were people in the water!”

Merrill inched closer to the edge of the cliff they were standing on, “I still don’t see anything. Maybe it sank.”

Arden’s head began to ache. He hadn’t _seen_ anything in a couple of weeks and was happy for the reprieve. Was his imagination getting the better of him, or was this something else? He pinched the bridge of his nose, “I guess it was nothing, I’m just tired. Come on, let’s get back before the storm comes.”

oOo

“Nine days! It’s been raining for nine sodding days!” Arden paced back and forth across the floor of Merrill’s hovel. 

“Rain is good, Arden. Good for the flowers and the trees. ..” Merrill poked at the logs in the hearth and added a new one to the fire. 

“Yeah, but it’s bad for us. With all this rain, no one has any work for us. We’ll never get the fifty sovereigns at this rate,” Arden grumbled and sank into a chair.

Varric shuffled his cards and dealt them out. “Stop worrying, Hawke. A little rain is not going to ruin everything. Just relax and play some cards.”

Arden sighed in frustration and peeked at his cards. Good hand. He looked over to his sister, she was frowning. Bethany had a terrible diamondback face. “We’re up to thirty, hopefully Bartrand won’t decide to pack up and leave for Deep Roads during the storm.”

Varric laughed, “Don’t worry. The only thing my brother hates more than losing money is getting wet.” The dwarf glanced down at his cards and casually looked back at Arden, “News coming out from the docks. There’s qunari in Kirkwall.”

Arden arched a brow, “Qunari? You mean those large grey-skinned folk?” He recalled one the Chantry locked in a cage, back in Lothering.

“Those are the ones, yes. Apparently, their ship had a not-too-friendly run in with rocks of the Wounded Coast. There have been a few shipwrecks since the rain started, if the rumors are true. Storms will do that though.” 

Bethany looked up from her cards, “Oh Maker, was anyone hurt?”

The dwarf arranged the cards in his hand, “Can’t say for sure, Sunshine. Probably.”

Arden watched the flames dance in the hearth. _Bodies in the water…a ship’s mast… I suppose it was too much to hope that I had a momentary lapse of reason._

“Oh, I almost forgot!” Varric’s voice sucked Arden out of his thoughts. His friend reached into his leather duster and pulled out a piece of folded parchment. “Even in this storm, there are still jobs to be found.   
“  
Arden took the offered parchment and unfolded it. He quickly read over the contents, “Who is Ghyslain de Carrac?”

oOo

“Thank you for agreeing to come with us, Aveline,” said Arden as they descended into Lowtown. 

“Just doing my duty, Hawke.”

Varric smoothed his hair and smiled up at the guard-captain, “Well, we wouldn’t want you to be outdone by the Templars.”

Aveline frowned down at the dwarf, “This isn’t even something that Templar should have taken on by himself. He’s lucky Hawke found him when he did. If there is someone kidnapping Kirkwall’s citizens, then the guard should have been informed.”

“Well, you know these Templars, Red. They like to keep all the fun of tracking down mages for themselves.”

“Yes, well, Ninette de Carrac isn’t a mage.” Aveline turned to Arden and asked, “Is she?”

Arden shrugged, “Not that we know of. Ser Emeric just seems to think she’s linked to his missing mages somehow. “ He will still trying to shake off the memory of the shades that surrounded them in Darktown. Even with everything he had learned about magic from his father and Bethany, nothing could have prepared him for the chill that seeped into his blood when facing those creatures from the Fade. He felt the shades crawl through him even before he saw them and even now, it stuck with him, like he was carrying a shade in his soul and it wrapped around his heart. And if the expression on his sister’s face was any indication, she felt the chill, too. He dropped back a bit to walk at her side, “You alright, Beth?”

Bethany looked up at him and tried to smile, “Of course.”

“Beth…”

“I’m fine, Arden… I’m just ready to get this job over with.”

Arden ruffled his hair and sighed, “Me too. You know, sometimes I wish Flemeth never told me what I was.”

“Why?”

“Because the more I see of the Fade, the less I want to be a part of it. Come on, the foundry is just up ahead.”

The air was heavy and damp when they entered the foundry. Cold too, as Varric pointed out. Arden paused to listen. He could hear rats scurrying along the beams overhead and water dripping somewhere nearby. 

Aveline stepped further into the foundry and looked around, “This place smells wrong. Like ash and death, I don’t like it.”

Arden could smell it, too, reminded him of Darktown. His stomach felt like it was full of spiders and a bitter cold sank into his bones. There were Fade creatures here, he was sure of it. He pulled a small flask out of a leather pouch on his dagger belt. “Me neither. Here, catch.” He tossed the flask to Aveline.

The guard-captain caught it with one hand and studied it for a moment before looking back up at Arden, “Magebane? Why do you have magebane?”

Arden took another flask of the poison out of his pouch and began to coat his daggers with them. “Ser Emeric gave some to me. In case there was a mage responsible, or…” 

“Or?”

Arden peered into the dark and thought he saw a shape moving about. “Or something worse.” He turned back to Aveline and placed his flask back into the pouch. “I know poisons aren’t really your style, but it doesn’t hurt to be prepared.”

Aveline said nothing and went to work applying the magebane to her long sword as they began walking through the open room. Varric looked up at Arden, “Expecting more friends from Darktown?”

Arden fought to swallow the cold biting at his throat, “I know they are here, I can feel them. Smell them.” For a moment he thought he could hear them, too, and he spun on his heel, dagger at the ready. Nothing. “I had the same feeling before, back in Darktown, but I didn’t know what it was. Now I do.”

“Hawke, I don’t claim to be an expert on the Fade, but I would expect that kind of thinking to come from a mage like Sunshine. Not you. Unless you really are a mage and you are picking this moment to come out to us.”

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, “I am not graced with magic, Varric. Wasn’t that lucky.”

Varric quirked a brow, “I wouldn’t call mages lucky. No offense, Bethany.”

Bethany smiled weakly at the dwarf, “None taken.” 

Arden opened his eyes and let them readjust to the dark. “Luckier than me. Well, a different kind of luck, at least.”

Varric pulled Bianca from her resting place on his back and chuckled, “Hawke, you are the luckiest sod I know. It’s like you eat Smith’s Hearts for breakfast. Like…”

“Like I know what’s going to happen before it does?”

“Well, when you put it that way…yes.”

Arden smiled at the dwarf, “You remember what the witch called me?”

Varric rubbed his chin for a moment trying to remember. “She called you a seer.” Arden bowed his head slightly and Varric’s eyes widened. “No. No, that’s ridiculous. Seers aren’t real, they are just stories.”

“Oh, come on Varric, you know storytelling better than anyone else. All stories come from some form of truth.”

“Well, yes, but a _seer_? Someone that can see the future, a mage without magic? That’s impossible.”

Arden stopped moving and strained to listen. He could feel something watching them, but he still couldn’t see it. With his eyes or his mind. “No, not impossible. Just really, really unfortunate. It’s a long story, so I’ll buy you a drink and tell you the whole thing when we get—get down!” He yanked Bethany along with him as went down on one knee. Aveline followed suit just as a shade leapt over them.

Arden was back on his feet in a flash and the shade dashed toward him, screeching. He sprinted at the creature and sliced across its neck with his poisoned dagger as he ran past it. The shade crumpled into a pool on the dirt floor.

“Arden, move!” Bethany yelled at him. He spun out of the way of two other shades and she blasted the creatures with ice until they stopped moving. 

Aveline slammed her shield into the frozen shades and they shattered to pieces. She searched the shadows on the wall and said, “Any more of them?”

Arden’s skin crawled and he sucked in a breath. He didn’t feel the cold like he did when the shades were around. This felt like a thousand hot needles poking him all at once. Something moved in the corner of his eye and he turned. Someone was on the walkway above them, standing in a doorway. “Hey!” Arden shouted and bolted to the stairs. Aveline was right on his heels, with Varric and Bethany close behind.

The figure was nowhere in sight when he reached the doorway. There was, however, a small pile of cloth on the floor. He bent down to take a closer look and sifted through the dirty folds of cloth, revealing a dismembered hand. Arden carefully pulled the hand out of the cloth and laid it on top. “Aveline, come take a look.”  
Aveline squatted down next to him and inspected the remains, “There’s still a ring on the finger. Orlesian style, it could be Ninette de Carrac’s.”

Arden gently brushed a fingertip over the gold ring. Suddenly, he jumped to his feet and retched over the nearby railing. The chaotic vision slammed into him like a tidal wave and he could feel himself cracking at the seams. White lilies arranged neatly in a vase. A small sharp knife coated in blood on the table. Rough, squared fingers traced over a delicate jaw. A wicked grin. Wide, scared eyes pleaded for mercy. The eyes were strange and familiar to him at the same time. Whose were they? 

Arden tried to pull the broken pieces of himself back together and he could feel someone shaking him. His sister’s voice sounded distant at first, but it grew louder as the dream passed through him and ebbed away. “Arden! Arden can you hear me?”

“Yes.” He reached for Bethany arm and gave it a squeeze, “I’m alright. That’s Ninette de Carrac’s hand. It’s safe to assume she’s dead.”

Aveline was still crouched over the pile of cloth. “I agree, but there are more remains in here, they can’t all belong to her.”

Varric leaned over to get a look, “Not unless she had three hands.” The dwarf looked up at Arden, “You alright, Hawke?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

“So, this whole seer thing… It makes you lose your supper?”

Arden choked out a laugh, “Sometimes. Don’t worry; I haven’t forgotten that I would tell you the whole thing. But first, let’s inform Serah de Carrac that he’s a widower.”

oOo

Arden opened the door to Gamlen’s hovel feeling ten years older. As if the Fade creatures and dismembered body parts weren’t bad enough, Ghyslain de Carrac was more concerned with what his deceased wife’s family was going to do to him than the loss of the women that he supposedly loved. The whole night had left a sour taste in his mouth and anger in his heart, but he took the man’s money all the same.

Varric and Bethany followed him inside to the room where he and his sister slept. Bethany collapsed onto one of the beds and sighed, “I don’t ever want to think about this night again.”

Arden knelt down next to the bed and felt for the loose floorboard where he kept his chest. “Neither do I, but we’re two sovereigns closer to the expedition.” He pulled the small chest out of the floor and opened it. Just as he was about to toss his coin in with the others, he stopped and stared at the inside of the chest.

“What is it?” Bethany asked.

He sifted through the chest, counting to himself. Finally, he answered, “There’s money missing. There are fifteen sovereigns missing!”

Bethany sprang up from the bed, “Missing? Where did they go?”

Arden slowly rose to his feet and he could feel the blood boil under his skin. He clenched his teeth and growled out, “Gamlen…” He opened the door to his room and stepped out into the common room where his uncle was sitting at the table arguing with his mother about a will. “Where is it?”

Gamlen turned in his chair and looked up at his nephew, “Where is what?”

Arden’s tempter had already been pulled taut by Ghyslain, but now it was close to snapping. “You went through my chest. Where is it Gamlen?!”

“Don’t you raise your voice to me, boy!” Arden yanked Gamlen from his chair and pushed him against the wall, “Get your hands off me! Leandra!”

His mother pleaded for Arden to stop, but he ignored her. “Fifteen sovereigns, Gamlen. Where did they go?”

His uncle pushed against Arden’s chest, but Arden was stronger. Gamlen couldn’t move. “Unhand me, you lunatic! You have no right to treat me this way! I took you into my home!”

“No, you sold my sister and I into servitude and then you have stomped all over us ever since. Now, you are stealing from me! Where are the sovereigns?!”

“Let go!”

“Alright, let’s do this in a fashion you are familiar with, shall we? You’re the good-for-nothing lout and I am the scary, angry man you owe money to.” Arden’s vision tunneled in, and he pulled Gamlen away from the wall and slammed him backwards onto the table top. “You took fifteen sovereigns from me and Beth. What did you do with them?”

Gamlen clawed at the table, trying to scramble backwards fruitlessly. “Leandra! Get your son off of me!”

Arden yanked on his uncle’s collar, lifting his head up before slamming him back onto the table. “Where?!” No answer came, so he did again. “Where is the money?!”

Gamlen’s eyes crossed and Arden could hear Varric snort behind him, “Don’t kill the man now, Hawke. He can’t tell you anything if he’s dead.”

“Blooming Rose,” Gamlen choked out.

He held his face mere inches from his uncle’s, “You spent all those sovereigns on a _whore_?” 

“No, cards.”

Bethany groaned, “He gambled it away?”

Arden let Gamlen go and backed away a pace. Gamlen sat up and rubbed the back of his head, “I didn’t mean to lose it all. That pirate wench is a dirty cheater! You want your money back, get it from her! Just leave me alone.”

Arden crossed his arms, trying to control his breathing as the world crept back to him. “Which pirate wench? If we are talking about the Rose, you are going to have to be more specific than that.”

“Isabela.”

Varric perked up at the name, “Isabela? She’s been hanging around The Hanged Man for the last week. Good diamondback player, you’d like her Hawke.”

Arden glared red hot daggers into his uncle and grabbed is collar again, “Believe me when I say that we do not want to be here anymore than you do. Mother’s been asking you about your father’s will. I think now would be a good time for you to discuss those details with her and Beth. And if I ever find your hand in my belongings again, be prepared to lose it.” He pushed Gamlen back onto the table and turned away. “Come on, Varric, I’m in the mood for some cards.”


End file.
